WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 


Col. 


THE    TWO    NEAREST    MEXICANS    WERE    OVERTHROWN    AND 
HURLED    BREATHLESS    TO    THE    GROUND. 


WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 


OB 


FIGHTING  FOB  THE  LONE-STAR  FLAG 


A   TALE   OF  TEXAS 


BY 
KIRK  MUNROE 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS,"  "AT  WAR  WITH 
PONTIAC,"  "THROUGH  SWAMP  AND  GLADE,"  ETC. 


BY  V.   PERARD 


NEW   YORK 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1898 


COPYRIGHT,  1897,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Nortoooti  Jptfss 

J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co.  -  Berwick  &  Smith 
Norwood,  Mass.  U.S.A. 


TO   MY  READERS 

THE  following  story  of  the  struggle  by  which 
Texas  gained  her  independence  from  Mexico  is  his 
torically  true  so  far  as  I  may  rely  upon  Yoakum's 
History  of  Texas,  and  the  memory  of  one  who  took 
an  active  part  in  the  conflict,  the  late  John  C.  Duval 
of  Austin.  For  the  benefit  of  many  who  have  lost 
sight  of  the  fact,  I  would  state  that  after  Rex, 
Tawny,  and  their  associates  had  achieved  the  free 
dom  of  Texas,  she  remained  an  independent  republic 
for  nine  years,  or  until  1845.  Then,  of  her  own 
free  will,  she  became  the  twenty-eighth  and  greatest 
state  of  the  great  American  Union. 

The  21st  of  April,  or  San  Jacinto  day,  is  annu 
ally  celebrated  throughout  the  state  with  great  re 
joicings,  and  the  church  of  the  Alamo,  still  standing 
in  San  Antonio,  is  the  monument  most  reverenced 
by  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Texas. 

THE  AUTHOR. 

BISCAYNE  BAY,  FLORIDA. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  A  HOME  IN  THE  WILDERNESS          ....  1 

II.     REX  AND  TAWNY 10 

III.  A  HORSE  WITH  LIKES  AND  DISLIKES      ...  19 

IV.  FOUR  TEXAS  REBELS,  AND  WHY  THEY  REBELLED  .  27 
V.     JAMES  BOWIE,  FIGHTER 36 

VI.  IN  THE  STREETS  OF  SAN  ANTONIO  ....  45 

VII.  BENEATH  THE  VERAMENDI  GARDENS       .        .        .  53 

VIII.  TAWNY  BEGINS  THE  WAR         .        .        .        .        .61 

IX.  MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT  OF  THE  SETTLERS       ...  70 

X.  ORGANIZING  THE  FIRST  TEXAS  ARMY      ...  78 

XL  THE  ABSURD  BATTLE  OF  GONZALES         ...  87 

XII.  WHY  THE  MEXICAN  TROOPS  FOUGHT  BADLY  .        .  95 

XIII.  A  WOMAN  IN  PERIL 104 

XIV.  REX   IS    CONDEMNED   TO   BE   SHOT          .  .  .  .113 

XV.  SAVED  BY  COCHITO  THE  COMANCHE         .         .        .  122 

XVI.     POSITIONS  ARE  REVERSED 131 

XVII.  IN  THE  ANCIENT  MISSION  OF  LA  ESPADA        .         .  139 

XVIII.  SEBASTIEN  TEJADA'S  WIFE      .        .        .        .        .  147 

v 


vi  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 


XIX.       REX   BECOMES   A    MEXICAN    SOLDIER    .  .  .155 

XX.     QUARTERED  AMONG  CONVICTS     ....     164 
XXI.     TAWNY  APPEARS  IN  SAN  ANTONIO      .        .        .173 

XXII.       WHO   WILL   GO   WITH   OLD   BEN   MlLAM  ?      .  .182 

XXIII.  FROM  HOUSE  TO  HOUSE 191 

XXIV.  A  GLORIOUS  TEXAN  VICTORY     .        .        .        .     200 
XXV.     LIEUTENANT  HARDEN  GAINS  HIS  COMMISSION    .     209 

XXVI.  SANTA  ANNA  INVADES  TEXAS      .        .  .  .218 

XXVII.  THE  OATH  OF  No  SURRENDER   ....     226 

XXVIII.  AN  EXPRESS  FROM  THE  ALAMO          .  .  .235 

XXIX.  A  HANDFUL  WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS  .  .    244 

XXX.  WHO  WILL  CROSS  THIS  LINE  ?    .        .  .  252 

XXXI.  THE  LAST  SHOT  FROM  THE  ALAMO    .  .  .261 

XXXII.  TAWNY  SAVES  HIS  YOUNG  MASTER     .  .  .     269 

XXXIII.  THREE 'BAFFLED  MEXICANS        .  .  .278 

XXXIV.  AGAIN  ARE  THE  TEXANS  DEFEATED  .  .  .     287 
XXXV.  "LISTEN!"          .        .        .'        .        .  .  .296 

XXXVI.  A  MASSACRE  FROM  WHICH  Two  ESCAPE    .         .  305 

XXXVII.  THE  DARKEST  HOUR 314 

XXXVIII.  DESPAIR  AND  HAPPINESS 322 

XXXIX.  CAPTURED  BY  A  FRIEND 330 

XL.  TEXAS  FREE  AT  LAST  ,  339 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

THE   TWO     NEAREST     MEXICANS    WERE    OVERTHROWN    AND 

HURLED   BREATHLESS   TO   THE   GROUND    .  .       Frontispiece 

PAGE 

HE  REARED,  PITCHED,  BUCKED,  LEAPED,  AND  EVEN  ROLLED 
ON  THE  GROUND 14 

THE  SQUIRE  DETECTED  THE  BEAT  OF  GALLOPING  HOOFS 

ON  THE  ROAD  BEHIND  HIM 72 

A  SINGLE  GLANCE  SHOWED  THIS   TO  BE  A  WHITE  LAD  OF 
ABOUT  HIS  OWN  AGE    ........  128 

"  DON'T  SHOOT,  MEN  ;  WE  ARE  FRIENDS  "...  194 

WITH    STOUT    HEARTS   THESE    HEROES   OF   THE   ALAMO 
SPRANG  TO  THEIR  DEFENCES        .       .       .        .          248 

THE  MEXICANS  ATTEMPTED  TWO  MORE  CHARGES      .        .  292 

REX    HARDEN    CLASPED    HIS    MOTHER    IN    HIS    STRONG 

YOUNG  ARMS .         .  344 


WITH   CEOCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

CHAPTER  I 

A  HOME  IN  THE  WILDERNESS 

A  BOY  and  a  horse,  both  breathing  hard  and 
trembling  from  recent  exertions,  stood  gazing  at 
each  other  dubiously,  and  each  was  wondering 
whether  the  struggle  in  which  they  had  been  en 
gaged  for  the  past  two  hours  was  to  be  resumed 
or  not.  The  boy,  who  was  a  slender  lad  with  a 
very  determined  expression  on  his  sun-tanned  face, 
was  so  covered  with  dirt  and  perspiration  that  it 
would  have  been  hard  to  decide  whether  he  was 
good  looking  or  not.  His  close-cropped  head  was 
bare,  for  he  had  long  since  parted  company  with 
his  broad-brimmed  sombrero,  his  flannel  shirt  was 
soiled  and  torn,  and  even  the  stout  trousers  of 
homespun,  tucked  into  the  legs  of  heavy  cowhide 
boots,  bore  sad  traces  of  the  recent  fray.  One  side 
of  his  face  was  bruised  and  so  swollen  that  the 
eye  was  nearly  closed.  Thus  taken  altogether,  Rex 


2  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Harden,  only  son  of  "Squire"  Ellis  Harden  of 
the  great  Herrera  Ranch,  was  at  that  moment  a 
very  disreputable  looking  young  man. 

The  horse  at  which  he  was  gazing  with  a  comical 
expression  of  mingled  doubt  and  admiration  was  in 
no  better  plight  than  himself.  In  fact,  he  seemed 
a  little  worse  off  than  the  boy.  He  was  a  splendid 
chestnut  stallion,  four  or  five  years  old,  clean  limbed, 
full  chested,  with  flowing  mane  and  tail  of  hair  so 
dark  as  to  be  nearly  black,  and  without  blemish  or 
spot  on  his  body,  save  only  a  clearly  outlined  white 
star  on  his  forehead.  His  beauty  was,  however, 
sadly  dimmed  just  then;  for  he  was  covered  with 
lather  and  dirt,  a  bloody  froth  dropped  from  his 
mouth,  his  breath  came  in  choking  sobs,  his  drip 
ping  flanks  heaved  like  a  bellows,  and  his  slender 
limbs  trembled  so  that  he  could  hardly  stand. 

Not  far  away  was  a  small  band  of  mares  and 
foals  pawing  the  earth  impatiently,  tossing  their 
heads,  ready  to  take  flight  at  a  sign  of  danger, 
and  yet  rooted  to  the  spot  by  an  eager  curiosity 
to  learn  what  their  splendid  and  hitherto  untamed 
leader  could  be  doing. 

On  all  sides  of  these  two  groups  was  spread  a 
vast  extent  of  brown,  rolling  prairie,  broken  in  the 
northeast  by  a  range  of  blue  hills,  and  on  the  west 
by  a  dark  line  of  timber  marking  the  course  of  a 
river.  The  soft  wind  that  rustled  the  dry  grasses 
and  fanned  tho  heated  brow  of  the  only  human 


A  HOME  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  3 

being  to  be  seen  in  all  the  landscape  swept  up 
from  the  warm  waters  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,  for 
this  was  a  Texas  prairie,  and  Rex  Harden  was  a 
native  of  the  Lone  Star  State. 

As  we  catch  our  first  glimpse  of  him,  it  is  evident 
that  both  he  and  the  fine  animal  beside  him  have 
just  regained  their  feet  after  an  ugly  fall  and  are 
still  doubtful  as  to  whether  their  bones  are  whole 
or  not.  The  boy's  head  was  in  a  whirl  as  he 
picked  himself  up,  and  many  stars  shot  athwart 
the  glance  cast  at  his  companion  in  adversity.  He 
drew  a  hand  swiftly  across  his  still  serviceable  eye 
to  clear  its  vision,  and  then,  stepping  to  the  horse, 
threw  an  arm  impulsively  across  the  beautiful  creat 
ure's  neck,  saying  as  he  did  so: 

"  Tawny,  old  fellow,  let's  make  up  and  be  friends. 
I  don't  believe  you  want  any  more  of  this  racket, 
and  I'm  sure  I  do  not,  for  another  cropper  like 
that  one  would  lay  us  both  out.  So  I'll  give  in  if 
you  will." 

As  if  in  answer  the  horse  rested  his  head  on  the 
boy's  shoulder,  and  with  their  cheeks  touching,  the 
latter  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  but  that  Tawny 
had  understood  every  word  said  to  him.  He  at  any 
rate  readily  comprehended  the  animal's  movement, 
and  knew  that  their  battle  was  ended.  He  also 
knew,  or  at  least  fully  believed,  that  in  that  moment 
he  had  gained  a  friend  that  would  be  faithful  even 
unto  death,  for  Rex  Harden  dearly  loved  horses,  and 


4  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

knew  that  the  affection  of  a  thoroughbred  once 
gained  would  never  be  withdrawn. 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  treaty  of  peace  and 
friendship  the  boy  tore  out  a  sleeve  of  his  tattered 
shirt,  and  with  it  wiped  the  dirt  and  foam  from 
Tawny's  nostrils.  He  loosened  the  cruel  cord  that, 
fastened  tightly  about  the  animal's  lower  jaw,  had 
served  instead  of  a  bridle,  and  threw  off  the  folded 
blanket  that,  cinched  with  a  leather  surcingle,  had 
taken  the  place  of  a  saddle.  Then  he  rubbed  the 
horse  vigorously  until  every  trace  of  lather  and  dirt 
was  removed,  giving  him  a  dry  polish  with  the  re 
maining  sleeve  of  his  useful  flannel  shirt,  which  he 
also  tore  out  without  hesitation. 

Although  this  was  the  very  first  grooming  that 
Tawny  had  ever  received  in  all  his  wild  free  life, 
he  did  not  move  during  the  operation.  He  even 
allowed  the  blanket  saddle  to  be  replaced  without 
opposition,  and  the  hated  cord  to  be  again  slipped 
over  his  lower  jaw.  Only  when  the  lad  climbed 
stiffly  to  his  back  and  intimated  that  it  was  time  to 
be  moving  did  he  give  a  convulsive  start  and  then 
stand  quivering. 

The  boy  spoke  a  few  soothing  words,  patted  the 
arching  neck,  and  at  the  same  moment  pressed  his 
heels  against  the  animal's  flanks.  This  time  he  was 
obeyed,  and  Tawny,  king  of  the  prairie,  hitherto 
wildest  of  the  wild  and  freest  of  the  free,  a  horse 
that  many  men  had  declared  would  never  be  caught 


A  HOME  IN  THE   WILDERNESS  5 

nor  tamed  unless  first  "  creased  "  with  a  rifle  bullet, 
stepped  forth  the  willing  bearer  of  a  burden. 

At  this  moment  the  ragged,  bruised,  and  astonish 
ingly  dirty  but  triumphant  lad  on  his  back  was  so 
thrilled  with  the  glorious  victory  just  achieved  that 
it  was  all  he  could  do  to  repress  a  yell  of  delight. 
He  did  repress  it,  however,  and  devoted  his  entire 
attention  to  a  further  soothing  of  the  splendid  horse 
that  had  just  become  his  by  right  of  conquest.  At 
the  same  time  he  turned  him  gently  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  distant  river,  towards  which  they  started 
on  an  easy  lope,  with  the  little  band  of  mares  and 
foals  following  them  curiously  a  short  distance  be 
hind. 

The  disreputable  looking  but  happy  lad  riding 
thus  proudly  across  the  brown  prairie  was  a  son  of 
one  of  the  earliest  American  pioneers  to  settle  in 
what  was  then  the  Mexican  state  of  Texas.  His 
father,  a  Kentuckian,  had  in  the  first  flush  of  man 
hood  gone  to  the  wars  with  General  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  had  lost  a  leg  in  his  first  and  only  battle.  Re 
covering  health  and  strength  after  a  weary  illness,  he 
had  promptly  offered  to  release  the  Kentucky  sweet 
heart  who  had  nursed  him,  from  her  engagement  to 
a  "fractional  man."  She  had  as  promptly  refused 
to  be  released,  and  so  they  were  married. 

Directly  afterwards  Ellis  Harden  took  the  modest 
portion  of  this  world's  goods  allotted  to  him,  and 
with  dauntless  energy  sought  to  make  a  home  for 


0  WITH   CROCKETT   AND  BOWIE 

his  wife  and  himself  in  the  little  known  Mexican  state 
of  Texas.  They  settled  at  Nacogdoches,  a  busy 
frontier  town  close  to  the  boundary  line  between 
Mexico  and  the  United  States,  and  here  the  young 
Kentuckian  prospered  beyond  his  hopes.  Here  were 
born  his  two  children,  Rector  or  "  Rex,"  as  he  was 
always  called,  and  Mabel.  Here,  too,  during  the 
revolution  by  which  Mexico  threw  off  the  galling 
yoke  of  Spain,  Ellis  Harden  was  enabled  to  render 
important  aid  to  Don  Manuel  Herrera,  Mexican 
Commissioner  to  the  United  States.  A  few  years 
later  on  account  of  this  service  he  was  granted  a 
noble  property  on  the  Cibolo  River  in  Southwestern 
Texas,  some  twenty-five  miles  from  the  town  of  San 
Antonio  de  Bexar  (Behar). 

In  1821,  the  Mexicans  under  Augustin  Iturbide 
established  their  independence,  and  three  years  later 
they  adopted  a  liberal  constitution  modelled  after 
that  of  the  United  States.  At  the  same  time  they 
offered  tempting  inducements  to  emigrants  to 
settle  in  Texas.  Under  these  circumstances  Ellis 
Harden  decided  to  take  possession  of  his  property  on 
the  beautiful  Cibolo,  and  there  established  himself  as 
a  ranchman.  In  honor  of  the  friend  through  whom 
he  had  received  his  grant  he  named  the  new  home 
Rancho  Herrera.  Here  with  the  opening  of  this 
story  he  and  his  had  dwelt  for  ten  years  in  compara 
tive  peace  and  ever-increasing  prosperity. 

The  stalwart  but  crippled  American  was  a  man  of 


A   HOME   IN  THE    WILDERNESS  7 

such  fearless  integrity  that  the  scattered  settlers  of 
that  section  formed  a  habit  of  referring  all  their  dis 
putes  to  him  for  adjustment  rather  than  entrust 
them  to  the  Mexican  Alcaldes  of  either  San  Antonio 
or  Gonzales,  and  for  this  reason  he  became  known 
far  and  wide  as  "  Squire  "  Harden. 

Having  a  certain  amount  of  capital  to  start  with 
and  being  possessed  of  unbounded  energy,  Squire 
Harden,  in  spite  of  being  a  "  fractional "  man,  had 
developed  his  property  until  the  Rancho  Herrera 
was  one  of  the  finest  in  the  state.  It  boasted  thou 
sands  of  cattle,  great  fields  of  corn,  cane,  and  cotton, 
and  hundreds  of  horses  bred  from  imported  Ken 
tucky  stock,  the  fame  of  which  had  spread  even  to 
the  Mexican  capital,  where  they  were  always  in 
demand  for  service  in  the  army.  As  the  vast  estate 
bordered  on  the  highway  between  San  Antonio  and 
Gonzales,  and  lay  midway  between  the  two  towns,  it 
was  a  favorite  halting-place  for  travellers,  to  whom 
its  generous  hospitality  was  never  denied.  If  they 
were  Americans,  they  were  entertained  at  the  great 
house,  while  natives  were  equally  well  cared  for  in 
the  quarters  of  the  peons,  a  large  number  of  whom 
were  employed  on  the  ranch  as  herdsmen  or  cultiva 
tors  of  the  soil. 

Among  other  things,  not  then  common  in  that 
country,  the  Rancho  Herrera  supported  its  own  grist 
mill,  cotton  gin,  and  smithy,  while  deft-handed  Mex 
ican  women  wove  both  wool  and  cotton,  raised  on 


8  WITH   CKOCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

the   place,  into   blankets   and   such   stuffs   as  were 
needed  by  its  people. 

Here,  then,  Rector  Harden  had  grown  from  child 
hood  to  sturdy  youth,  and  this  was  the  home  he 
loved.  Here  was  the  noble  father  whom  he  re 
garded  as  the  best  and  wisest  of  men,  the  devoted 
mother  who  had  so  bravely  ventured  into  this  far 
land  for  the  sake  of  her  loved  ones,  and  the  brown- 
haired  sister  only  a  year  younger  than  himself,  known 
to  her  mother  as  Mabel,  but  called  "  Daughter  "  by 
her  father,  "  Dulce  "  (Sweet)  by  Rex,  and  "  Honey  " 
by  Aunty  Day,  her  old  negro  mammy. 

Rex  was  proud  of  being  a  Texan,  and  his  only  pres 
ent  ambition  was  to  aid  his  father  in  making  the 
Rancho  Herrera  the  finest  property  of  its  kind  in 
the  country.  He  already  knew  a  great  deal  about 
cattle  and  crops,  was  a  fearless  horseman,  a  good 
shot,  and  could  throw  a  riata  or  lasso  with  the  best 
vaquero  on  the  ranch.  Nor  had  his  education  in 
other  subjects  been  neglected  ;  for,  besides  being 
carefully  taught  at  home,  he  had  been  sent  for  three 
years  to  a  military  school  in  New  Orleans,  from 
which  he  returned  to  the  ranch  for  the  long  vaca 
tions. 

As  there  were  no  railroads  nor  even  stages  in 
Texas  in  those  days,  he  had  always  made  the  jour 
ney  to  and  from  New  Orleans  in  one  of  the  trading 
schooners  plying  between  there  and  Matagorda,  the 
seaport  nearest  to  his  home.  Of  course  he  talked 


A  HOME   IN  THE   WILDERNESS  9 

Spanish  as  well  as  did  the  Mexicans  among  whom 
he  lived,  and  in  New  Orleans  he  had  gained  a 
fair  knowledge  of  French.  Thus  our  lad  had  been 
given  advantages  far  beyond  those  enjoyed  by  most 
boys  of  his  age  in  that  new  country.  Best  of  all, 
he  had  been  taught  from  his  earliest  childhood  to 
be  a  gentleman. 

Having  thus  introduced  him,  we  will  precede  him 
to  his  home,  and  stand  ready  to  receive  him  as  he 
rides  proudly  past  the  great  house,  on  the  porch  of 
which  his  father  holds  conversation  with  a  newly 
arrived  stranger,  and  leads  his  little  drove  of  horses 
to  one  of  the  corrals  in  its  rear. 


CHAPTER  II 

BEX   AND   TAWNY 

TAWNY  had  long  been  a  source  of  pride  and 
perplexity  to  the  whole  ranch.  On  all  its  broad 
prairies  there  was  no  horse  to  compare  with  him  in 
beauty  or  speed.  In  some  way  he  had  escaped  the 
branding-iron  when  a  colt,  nor  had  he  ever  since  been 
captured,  though  many  attempts  against  his  liberty 
had  been  made  by  the  Herrera  vaqueros.  No  one 
had  enjoyed  these  efforts,  with  their  exciting  races 
over  the  broad  plains,  more  than  Tawny  himself,  and 
he  had  always  entered  into  them  with  a  joyful 
readiness. 

On  such  occasions  he  would  stand  with  proudly 
uplifted  head  and  distended  nostrils  until  his  would- 
be  captors  were  just  ready  to  throw  their  entangling 
ropes  ;  when,  with  a  snort  of  defiance  and  a  toss  of 
his  silken  mane,  he  would  dash  away  at  a  speed  that 
none  of  his  pursuers  could  hope  to  equal.  Still  they 
always  followed  him,  and  each  time  with  fresh  hope. 
He  invariably  ran  in  a  great  circle  that  caused  the 
race  to  finish  near  its  place  of  starting,  and  during 
its  continuance  he  would  slacken  his  pace  at  inter 
vals  until  his  pursuers  were  close  at  hand,  only  to 

10 


REX   AND   TAWNY  11 

dart  away  again  with  increased  speed  just  when  they 
thought  they  had  him. 

So  aggravating  were  these  tactics,  and  he  showed 
such  a  knowledge  of  the  steps  it  was  proposed  to 
take  for  his  capture,  that  the  superstitious  Mexicans 
came  to  regard  him  as  possessed  of  uncanny  powers, 
and  named  him  UE1  Diablo."  But  for  strict  orders 
issued  by  the  master  of  the  ranch  that  not  a  hair  of 
his  glossy  coat  was  to  be  harmed,  more  than  one 
of  his  baffled  pursuers  would  have  tried  to  overcome 
him  by  the  dangerous  and  doubtful  method  of 
"  creasing,"  which  is  stunning  by  means  of  a  rifle 
ball  so  carefully  aimed  as  to  cut  a  crease  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  animal's  neck,  without  otherwise 
injuring  him. 

Rex,  who  had  loved  the  horse  from  the  first  and 
longed  to  possess  him,  called  him  "Tawny,"  by 
which  name  he  came  to  be  generally  known.  Al 
though  the  lad  had  joined  in  many  a  chase  of  the 
superb  animal,  he  had  never  really  wished  them  suc 
cess  in  their  efforts  for  his  overthrow.  He  rejoiced 
that  this  descendant  from  Kentucky  thoroughbreds 
should  outwit  the  craftiest  of  Mexican  vaqueros,  and 
took  as  much  pleasure  in  witnessing  their  defeats  as 
in  the  mad  racing.  Another  cause  for  rejoicing  at 
their  failures  was  a  promise  from  his  father,  that  if 
he  should  ever,  alone  and  unaided,  succeed  in  capt 
uring  Tawny,  the  horse  should  be  his  from  that 
moment.  Many  a  fruitless  race  unseen  by  the 


12  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

others  had  our  lad  given  the  wild  horse  after  receiving 
this  promise,  and  each  failure  to  capture  the  beautiful 
creature  only  made  him  seem  the  more  desirable. 

Tawny  fully  realized  that  the  ranch  was  his 
home,  and  never  strayed  very  far  from  it.  Next  to 
racing  with  would-be  captors  he  enjoyed  lording  it 
over  the  other  semi-wild  horses  of  the  estate,  and 
was  always  accompanied  by  a  band  of  admiring 
followers,  most  of  whom  were  young  mares  with 
sleek  skins  and  velvety  noses,  belonging  to  the  best 
equine  families. 

During  his  study  of  Tawny  and  his  companions, 
Rex  discovered  that  one  of  their  favorite  midday 
resorts  was  the  shade  of  a  great  live-oak  that  stood 
by  itself  on  the  edge  of  the  prairie  a  hundred  yards 
removed  from  any  other  timber.  Here  they  would 
remain  for  hours,  lazily  switching  their  long  tails, 
lying  down,  standing,  with  slim  heads  caressingly 
extended  over  each  other's  necks,  playfully  biting, 
squealing,  or  kicking  at  one  another,  or  staring  in 
tently  motionless  at  the  antics  of  a  squirrel  or  at 
something  else  that  attracted  their  curiosity.  After 
breaking  up  these  pleasant  parties  several  times  by 
sudden  outrushes  from  the  neighboring  timber,  Rex 
conceived  the  plan  of  concealing  himself  amid  the 
lower  branches  of  their  favorite  tree  during  a  time 
of  their  absence  from  it,  awaiting  their  coming,  and 
then  attempting  to  throw  a  noose  over  Tawny'a 
neck  from  that  point  of  vantage. 


REX   AND   TAWNY  13 

For  the  carrying  out  of  this  purpose  he  stored  a 
blanket,  a  surcingle,  and  several  stout  ropes  in  the 
tree,  and  established  himself  on  one  of  its  lower  limbs 
for  several  days  in  succession,  spending  three  or  four 
hours  there  each  time,  before  he  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  the  unsuspecting  horses  led  by  Tawny  the 
superb  trot  jauntily  into  its  wide  shadow. 

The  lad  was  thrilled  at  finding  the  animal  he  so 
coveted  almost  within  reach  of  his  hand,  and  his 
heart  beat  high  with  hope.  At  the  same  time  he 
almost  stopped  breathing  and  hardly  dared  move, 
for  he  knew  that  the  slightest  sound  would  send  the 
keen-witted  creatures  off  like  the  wind.  He  had 
previously  fastened  one  end  of  a  noosed  rope  to  the 
limb  on  which  he  sat,  and  now  he  held  the  noose 
ready  for  dropping,  the  moment  an  opportunity 
offered. 

Several  minutes  passed  before  Tawny  came  to  that 
side  of  the  tree,  and  Rex  had  about  decided  that  he 
could  not  bear  the  pain  of  his  constrained  position 
a  moment  longer,  when  all  at  once  the  stallion  ap 
peared  immediately  beneath  him.  In  an  instant  the 
darting  rope  had  settled  over  the  proud  neck,  and, 
as  the  startled  animal  sprang  away,  it  tautened  with 
a  cruel,  choking  jerk,  that  flung  him  heavily  to  the 
ground.  At  the  same  moment,  and  before  the  terri 
fied  horse  could  regain  his  feet,  Rex  dropped  from  his 
hiding-place.  Within  two  minutes  he  had  Tawny's 
legs  so  secured  that  he  could  not  rise.  Then  he 


14  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

loosened  the  choking  neck-rope  and  spent  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  in  soothing  and  stroking  his  captive. 

The  next  move  was  to  allow  the  horse  to  regain 
his  feet,  hobble  him  so  that  he  could  not  move  with 
out  falling,  and  strap  a  folded  blanket  to  his  back. 
Five  times  did  Tawny  throw  himself  in  striving  to 
avoid  this  indignity  before  the  blanket  was  securely 
fastened  in  place.  The  securing  of  a  noosed  cord 
about  his  lower  jaw  was  attended  with  still  greater 
difficulty,  but  even  that  was  finally  accomplished. 
Then  the  entangling  leg-ropes  were  cast  loose,  and 
Rex  vaulted  into  his  blanket  saddle.  The  horse 
made  several  convulsive  movements,  each  of  which 
was  checked  by  the  rope  still  encircling  his  neck 
and  choking  him  with  every  pull  upon  it.  Then  he 
stood  still  while  the  boy,  retaining  his  seat,  soothed 
and  talked  to  him. 

At  length  Rex  severed  the  taut  rope  with  a  single 
stroke  of  his  hunting-knife,  dropped  the  weapon, 
twined  his  fingers  in  the  thick  mane,  gripped  the 
animal's  body  with  his  knees,  and  found  himself 
speeding  through  space  as  though  he  were  astride 
a  runaway  locomotive. 

As  the  stallion  reached  the  place  to  which  his 
terrified  comrades  had  retreated  at  the  first  alarm, 
he  began  to  make  furious  efforts  to  rid  himself  of 
his  burden.  He  reared  until  it  seemed  as  though  he 
must  topple  over  backwards,  pitched,  bucked,  leaped 
sideways,  and  even  rolled  on  the  ground.  When- 


<•  V  -  'i  '  ' 


HE  REARED,  PITCHED,  BUCKED,  LEAPED,  AND  EVEN  ROLLED 


BEX  AND   TAWNY  15 

ever  he  attempted  this  last  manoeuvre  the  boy  flung 
himself  to  one  side,  but  sprang  again  to  the  animal's 
back  the  instant  the  latter  began  to  regain  his  feet. 
At  the  same  time  he  never  once  relaxed  a  steady 
pull  on  the  slender  cord  about  Tawny's  lower  jaw. 
Once  he  was  flung  to  the  ground,  and  was  dragged 
by  it  for  a  short  distance,  but  the  strain  on  the 
horse  was  so  painful  that  he  was  forced  to  come  to 
a  stop,  and  in  a  moment  Rex  was  again  seated  on  his 
back. 

Then  the  animal  bolted  and  ran,  or  rather  flew,  at 
a  speed  that  filled  the  boy  with  a  delirium  of  excite 
ment,  up  hill  and  down,  across  broad  levels,  mile 
after  mile  and  league  after  league.  At  first  the 
young  rider  gave  him  his  head  and  allowed  him  to 
take  his  own  direction.  Then  he  gradually  resumed 
his  pull  on  the  cruel  cord  and,  little  by  little, 
changed  the  course  of  his  flying  steed  until  at 
length  they  were  headed  almost  in  the  direction 
from  which  they  had  come. 

After  a  while  the  fearful  pace  began  to  tell,  and 
the  sobbing  animal  began  to  falter  in  his  stride,  but 
now  Rex  urged  him  on  with  shout  and  blow  until 
finally  Tawny  plunged  heavily  forward  and  fell, 
flinging  his  rider  far  over  his  head.  That  neither 
of  them  gained  broken  bones  was  a  miracle,  but  both 
of  them  were  young,  and  so  neither  of  them  did. 
When  they  picked  themselves  up  they  gazed  at 
each  other  with  that  feeling  of  mutual  respect  that, 


16  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

between  worthy  opponents,  often  leads  to  sincerest 
friendship. 

When  our  proudly  happy  lad  had  ridden  his  prize 
home  and  into  a  stout  corral,  he  did  not  leave  him 
until  he  had  removed  the  blanket  saddle  and  cord 
bridle  that  formed  Tawny's  badges  of  servitude,  and 
had  given  him  another  thorough  rubbing  down,  dur 
ing  which  he  talked  incessantly  to  the  horse,  often 
calling  him  by  name.  Then  he  brought  the  thirsty 
creature  a  bucket  of  water,  and  fed  him  with  a  small 
measure  of  salted  oats,  a  luxury  of  civilization  that 
Tawny  had  never  before  tasted. 

Through  all  this  the  horse  was  so  quiet  and  docile 
that  Rex  began  to  wonder  if  he  had  not  given  him 
too  severe  a  lesson,  and  broken  his  spirit  so  com 
pletely  that  he  would  never  regain  it. 

After  having  thus  extended  the  hospitalities  of 
the  ranch  to  his  newly  acquired  friend,  and  leaving 
orders  with  a  peon  to  have  all  the  animals  cared  for, 
the  young  horse-tamer,  recalled  to  his  own  aches, 
bruises,  and  general  dilapidation,  made  his  way  to 
the  house. 

This  ranch  house  was  a  large,  comfortable  affair 
of  squared  logs,  having  a  great  central  hall  running 
through  it  from  front  to  rear  and  open  at  both  ends. 
On  either  side  of  this  were  two  large  rooms.  In  the 
hall  a  rude  stairway,  hewn  from  the  trunk  of  an  oak 
tree,  led  to  an  upper  story  which  was  at  once  store 
room  and  bed-chamber  for  an  indefinite  number  of 


REX  AND  TAWNY  17 

guests.  From  this  upper  room  a  ladder  gave  access 
to  the  roof,  on  which  was  a  platform  enclosed  within 
a  breastwork  of  logs ;  for  this  house  was  intended 
as  a  fortress  as  well  as  a  dwelling,  and  was  admi 
rably  planned  for  defence  against  those  Indians  who 
then  roamed  over  the  whole  of  Texas. 

A  detached  kitchen  stood  behind  the  house,  while 
in  front,  commanding  a  fine  view  of  both  the  road 
and  river,  was  a  broad  porch  overrun  with  roses. 

Rex  entered  the  lower  hall  from  its  rear  end,  hop 
ing  for  a  chance  to  render  himself  more  presentable 
before  meeting  any  of  the  family  or  the  stranger 
whom  he  had  seen  talking  with  his  father.  But 
Squire  Harden  caught  sight  of  him  and  called  him. 

"  What  horse  was  that  you  were  riding,  son  ?  "  he 
asked,  as  Rex  appeared  on  the  porch. 

"  It  was  Tawny,  sir. " 

"  Tawny,  the  wild  stallion  !  You  don't  mean 
it." 

"Yes,  I  do,"  laughed  the  boy.  "We  had  a  big 
fight  and  then  made  friends  with  each  other  after 
wards." 

"  Prettiest  fight  'tween  man  and  hoss  that  ever  I 
seen,"  remarked  the  stranger  to  whom  Squire  Harden 
had  been  talking,  and  who  was  a  spare,  smooth-faced 
man,  clad  in  buckskin. 

"  Did  you  see  us,  sir  ?  "  asked  the  lad,  in  a  tone  of 
surprise.    "I  didn't   know  there  was  a  soul  within 
miles  of  us." 
c 


18  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  I  expect  thar's  many  a  man  seen  by  Deaf  Smith, 
who  never  sees  him,"  laughed  the  Squire.  "  Son,  I 
want  to  present  you  to  my  old  and  valued  friend, 
Mr.  Erastus  Smith,  better  known  as  '  Deaf  Smith,' 
the  scout,  whom  I  think  you  must  have  known  long 
ago  by  reputation." 


CHAPTER   III 

A   HORSE  WITH   LIKES   AND   DISLIKES 

DEAF  SMITH,  most  famous  of  Texan  scouts,  was 
a  New  Yorker  by  birth,  brought  up  amid  the  wild 
scenes  of  Mississippi  Territory  and  an  early  pioneer 
to  Texas,  where  he  helped  found  the  American 
town  of  Gonzales  on  the  Guadalupe  River  some  fifty 
miles  east  of  the  Mexican  city  of  San  Antonio.  He 
had  not  been  content  to  settle  down  there  or  else 
where  ;  but  had  spent  years  in  wandering  alone  over 
the  vast  southwestern  wilderness,  hunting  buffalo, 
capturing  wild  horses,  and  leading  the  life  of  the 
Indians,  who  either  as  friends  or  foes  were  for 
months  at  a  time  the  only  human  beings  with  whom 
he  held  intercourse.  On  one  occasion  while  Rex  was 
away  at  school  he  had  appeared  at  the  Rancho 
Herrera,  bleeding  from  an  arrow  wound,  with  the 
warning  of  a  contemplated  attack  from  a  war-party 
of  Comanches.  With  this  timely  notice,  and  aided 
by  the  brave  scout,  Squire  Harden  was  enabled  to 
prepare  a  complete  surprise  for  the  savages  and 
drive  them  off  with  such  heavy  loss  that  they  had 
not  cared  to  molest  him  since. 

At  that  time  a  strong  liking  for  each  other  had 
19 


20  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

sprung  up  between  the  two  men,  and  Deaf  Smith 
had  ever  afterwards  been  a  welcome  guest  at  the 
ranch,  though  he  rarely  visited  it  more  than  once 
a  year.  Thus  it  happened  that  until  now  he  and 
Rex  had  never  met,  though  of  course  the  boy  had 
learned  many  thrilling  tales  concerning  the  famous 
scout,  that  he  afterwards  related  with  fine  effect  to 
his  school-fellows  at  New  Orleans. 

Smith  had  also  heard  much  about  his  friend's  son ; 
but,  fearing  that  he  would  be  unfitted  for  Texas  life 
by  his  schooling  and  residence  in  a  great  city,  had 
purposely  avoided  meeting  him.  Now  that  such  a 
meeting  was  forced  upon  him,  he  gazed  at  the  lad 
curiously  as  he  took  his  extended  hand  and  held  it 
in  a  firm  grasp. 

While  our  hero's  present  appearance  might  not 
have  produced  a  favorable  impression  in  New  Orleans 
society,  it  seemed  exactly  to  suit  the  scout's  idea  of 
what  was  fitting  and  proper  ;  for,  after  a  moment  of 
such  searching  gaze  as  seemed  to  read  the  lad's  soul, 
he  said: 

"  Young  man,  I  am  proud  to  make  your  acquaint 
ance,  for  your  own  sake  as  well  as  your  dad's,  but 
I'm  free  to  confess  that  if  I  hadn't  seen  you  awhile 
ago  wrastling  with  that  hoss,  and  met  you  bearing 
signs  of  a  tussle,  I  wouldn't  have  believed  you  had 
the  grit  you've  just  showed.  It  does  look,  though, 
like  your  schooling  hadn't  done  you  no  great  harm 
after  all." 


A  HORSE   WITH  LIKES  AND  DISLIKES  21 

"  You  are  very  kind  to  say  so,"  replied  Rex,  flush 
ing  at  what  he  felt  was  a  great  compliment,  coming 
as  it  did  from  Deaf  Smith,  "  and  I  am  awfully  glad 
to  meet  you,  for  I've  heard  more  about  you  than 
about  any  other  man  in  Texas.  I  would  like  to 
know,  though,  where  you  were  when  you  saw  Tawny 
and  me  getting  acquainted." 

"  On  my  way  here  from  Gonzales,"  was  the  reply. 

"  But  I  was  not  anywhere  near  the  Gonzales  road." 

"  No  more  was  I.  To  my  mind  a  road  is  a  mighty 
dangersome  place,  and  I  never  set  foot  on  one  when 
I  can  travel  by  a  grass  trail.  When  I  fust  seed  you 
cavortin'  over  the  perarer,  I  mistook  you  for  a  Co- 
manch,  and  laid  low.  Even  when  I  found  you  was 
white,  I  still  laid  low  to  watch  the  fight  between  you 
and  the  critter.  Same  time  I  never  mistrusted  who 
you  war,  though  I  knowed  the  hoss.  When  you 
went  streaking  off,  like  you  never  meant  to  stop  this 
side  the  Sabine,  I  came  on  here  and  told  the  Squire 
thar  was  two  devils  fighting  over  yonder,  one  human 
and  one  hoss.  He  'lowed  that  the  human  devil 
would  get  the  wust  of  it,  seeing  as  how  El  Diablo 
hadn't  never  yet  met  his  master.  Same  time,  seein' 
what  I  seen,  I  was  willin'  to  bet  on  the  human 
comin'  out  ahead.  Of  cose  I  hadn't  no  idee  who  he 
war  till  you  rid  past  awhile  back,  and  the  Squire 
'lowed  that  you  bore  some  faint  likeness  to  his  son. 
Even  then,  he  was  dubersome  about  the  hoss,  and 
reckoned  it  couldn't  be  El  Diablo." 


22  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

44  And  it  wasn't,"  laughed  Rex,  joyously,  "for  his 
name  is  Tawny,  and  he  is  the  dearest  and  gentlest 
and  most  splendid  horse  ever  raised  in  Texas.  He 
is  my  very  own  too,  isn't  he,  father  ?  " 

"  I  expect  he  is,  son,"  replied  Squire  Harden  ;  "for 
you  seem  to  have  won  him  in  fair  fight,  though  I 
must  confess  that  I  would  rather  you  had  set  your 
affections  on  any  other  horse  in  the  whole  cavallado. 
This  one  has  such  a  devilish  temper,  that  — 

"  Oh,  father  !  "  interrupted  Rex,  reproachfully, 
"  you  wouldn't  say  that  if  you  only  knew  how  gentle 
and  loving  he  really  is.  Why  —  " 

Just  here  the  lad  was,  in  turn,  startlingly  inter 
rupted  by  such  a  confusion  of  shouts,  screams,  and 
general  uproar,  coming  from  the  direction  of  the 
corrals,  that  the  three  occupants  of  the  porch  sprang 
to  their  feet  and  hastened  to  the  scene  of  disturb 
ance. 

The  corral  in  which  Rex  had  left  his  little  band  of 
horses  was  a  stout  post-and-rail  enclosure  divided 
into  two  parts.  Between  these  was  a  gateway  of 
two  posts  some  seven  feet  in  height  connected  at  the 
top  by  a  bar  of  timber.  According  to  young  Har- 
den's  instructions  this  gate  had  been  opened,  that 
the  horses  might  have  access  to  a  water  trough  in 
the  further  division  of  the  corral. 

The  capture  of  the  famous  stallion  had  created 
great  excitement  in  all  quarters  of  the  ranch,  but 
especially  among  the  vaqueros  who  had  so  often 


A  HORSE   WITH  LIKES  AND  DISLIKES  23 

failed  to  accomplish  it  themselves.  These  were  con 
sumed  with  jealousy  that  the  hero  of  the  hour  should 
be  a  mere  boy,  for  so  they  regarded  Rex.  And  one 
of  their  number,  a  surly  fellow  named  Domingo,  who 
was  only  retained  on  the  estate  because  of  his  horse 
manship,  was  particularly  bitter  in  his  comments 
upon  the  muchacho  who,  he  declared,  could  never 
have  captured  El  Diablo  unaided.  While  a  number 
of  his  fellows  were  gathered  about  the  corral,  gazing 
at  the  horses,  this  man,  armed  with  a  raw-hide  quirt, 
entered  it  and  began  with  vicious  blows  to  vent  his 
spite  upon  the  captive  animals,  under  pretence  of 
driving  them  into  the  further  enclosure. 

At  first  he  expended  his  efforts  on  the  mares  and 
foals,  which,  blind  with  terror,  rushed  frantically 
from  one  enclosure  to  the  other  and  back  again. 
Tawny,  evidently  bewildered  and  uncertain  how 
to  act,  followed  them.  As  he  returned  through  the 
gateway,  the  scowling  Mexican,  who  stood  close  be 
side  the  barrier,  struck  him  a  stinging  blow.  With 
a  shrill  scream  of  rage  and  pain  the  animal  wheeled 
and  charged  furiously  at  his  cowardly  assailant. 

With  a  single  leap  the  terrified  man  gained  the 
topmost  rail  of  the  dividing  fence  and  started  to 
swing  himself  up  on  the  bar  connecting  the  two 
posts.  As  he  did  so,  the  horse  seized  one  leg  of  his 
flapping  cotton  trousers  and  strove  to  pull  him 
down.  The  man  yelled  with  fright,  but  clung  so 
stoutly  to  the  post  that  the  cloth  tore  away  and  in 


24  WITH    CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

another  moment  he  was  perched  on  the  narrow  bar, 
in  comparative  safety. 

He  was  still  so  nearly  within  reach  of  his  enraged 
enemy  that  he  dared  not  let  either  hand  or  foot  hang 
a  single  inch  below  the  timber  beneath  which  the 
horse  was  dashing  furiously,  back  and  forth,  seeking 
for  some  way  to  get  at  him.  He  even  reared  and 
struck  at  the  posts  with  his  fore  feet,  shaking  them 
so  violently  as  to  very  nearly  dislodge  the  man  from 
his  uncertain  refuge.  The  latter  screamed  for  help, 
the  spectators  shouted  wildly,  and  some  of  them 
made  fruitless  efforts  to  lasso  the  horse,  while,  as 
Rex  reached  the  scene,  one  man  was  in  the  act  of 
levelling  a  rifle  at  the  superb  creature. 

The  lad  was  just  in  time  to  disconcert  this  fellow 
with  a  shout  and  to  snatch  the  gun  from  his  hands 
before  a  shot  could  be  fired.  Then  without  a  mo 
ment's  hesitation  he  vaulted  over  the  fence  into  the 
corral  and  ran  toward  the  gateway  in  which  the  mad 
dened  stallion  was  still  striving  to  reach  his  enemy. 

"  Tawny  !  Tawny  !  You,  sir  !  Behave  yourself  !  " 
shouted  the  lad  as  he  drew  near,  and  the  effect  was 
so  magical  that  the  spectators  stared  in  amazed 
silence.  At  the  sound  of  the  voice  that  he  had  al 
ready  learned  was  that  of  his  master  the  horse  in 
stantly  desisted  from  his  furious  efforts  and  stood 
motionless,  gazing  inquiringly  at  the  approaching 
figure.  Walking  directly  up  to  him,  Rex  threw  an 
arm  over  the  proud  neck  and  petted  him  for  a  few 


A  HORSE   WITH  LIKES  AND  DISLIKES  25 

moments,  all  the  while  talking  in  soothing  tones. 
Then  he  led  him  into  the  further  enclosure,  where 
the  other  horses  were  grouped  in  one  corner,  and 
closed  the  gate. 

"  Now,  coward,  you  can  come  down,"  he  shouted, 
at  the  same  time  stooping  to  pick  up  a  raw  hide 
quirt  that  he  discovered  lying  on  the  ground.  As 
he  raised  his  eyes,  he  saw  that  the  Mexican  had  al 
ready  taken  advantage  of  this  diversion  in  his  favor 
to  make  good  his  retreat  toward  the  outer  fence, 
from  which  his  comrades  were  greeting  his  forlorn 
appearance  with  shouts  of  laughter.  At  the  same 
moment  Rex  caught  sight  of  the  long  welt  across 
Tawny's  back  raised  by  Domingo's  spiteful  blow, 
and  instantly  realized  what  had  happened. 

Filled  with  a  sudden  rage,  he  tightened  his  grasp 
on  the  quirt  and  sprang  after  the  cowardly  Mexi 
can.  If  he  had  overtaken  him,  it  is  not  likely  that 
even  Domingo's  bulk  would  have  saved  him  from 
a  thrashing,  but  the  man  had  already  cleared  the 
barrier,  and  by  the  time  Rex  reached  it  had  disap 
peared  to  be  seen  no  more  at  the  Rancho  Herrera. 
So  Tawny's  young  master  was  forced  to  content 
himself  with  giving  the  swarthy  peons  a  fierce 
warning  of  what  would  happen  to  any  one  of  them 
who  should  ever  dare  lift  a  hand  against  his  horse. 
While  he  was  delivering  this  harangue,  that  was  lis 
tened  to  in  sullen  silence,  a  gentle  touch  on  his 
shoulder  caused  him  to  look  around. 


26  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

A  young  girl,  simply  clad,  but  glowing  with 
health,  and  the  beauty  that  health  alone  can  give, 
stood  by  his  side,  while  close  at  hand  were  the 
squire  on  his  crutches  and  the  scout. 

"  Why,  Dulce  !  "  exclaimed  the  lad,  "  what  brings 
you  out  here  ?  " 

"  I  came  to  see  your  beautiful  horse.  But,  Rex, 
whatever  have  you  been  doing  ?  You  look  as  though 
you  had  gone  through  the  wars." 

"  Well,  I  haven't,"  laughed  her  brother.  "  I  would 
go  through  a  kind  of  war,  though,  if  I  could  lay  hands 
on  that  scoundrel  Domingo.  To  think  of  his  daring 
to  thrash  Tawny  !  It  makes  my  blood  boil,  and  if 
ever  I  catch  him  —  Well,  no  matter.  Isn't  he  a 
beauty  though  ?  " 

"Who?     Domingo?" 

"  Of  course  not.  I  mean  Tawny  —  that  chestnut 
stallion.  And,  Dulce,  he  is  my  very  own.  Come, 
and  I  will  introduce  you." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  superb  creature  had  been 
enticed  to  the  bars  and,  assured  by  Rex  that  it  was 
perfectly  safe  to  do  so,  was  daintily  nibbling  sugar 
from  Mabel's  hand. 

From  that  hour  Tawny  readily  admitted  to  his 
friendship  those  who  were  properly  introduced  and 
vouched  for  by  his  young  master,  always  provided 
they  wore  white  skins  ;  but  for  any  whose  skins  were 
dark  he  held  a  bitter  hatred  to  the  day  of  his  death. 


CHAPTER  IV 

FOUR  TEXAS  REBELS,  AND  WHY  THEY  REBELLED 

THAT  same  evening  after  supper  Deaf  Smith  took 
his  departure,  and  to  the  surprise  of  Rex,  Squire 
Harden  had  not  urged  him  to  remain  with  them  over 
night.  This  was  so  contrary  to  the  usual  hospitable 
custom  in  the  Rancho  Herrera  that,  after  our  lad  had 
courteously  walked  with  the  guest  to  where  his  horse 
awaited  him,  and  returned  to  the  porch  on  which 
the  family  were  assembled,  he  could  not  forbear 
commenting  on  the  occurrence. 

"  I  wish  Mr.  Smith  could  have  passed  the  night 
with  us,"  he  remarked,  "  for  I  wanted  so  much  to 
hear  of  some  of  his  adventures  from  his  own  lips. 
Why  was  he  in  such  a  hurry,  father?  " 

"  He  is  charged  with  a  duty  that  may  not  be  de 
layed,"  replied  the  squire,  who  appeared  to  be  in  a 
mood  at  once  thoughtful  and  troubled.  "  The  fact 
is,"  he  continued,  "  there  is  a  rumor  that  President 
Santa  Anna  has  sent  an  army  in  this  direction  to 
proclaim  martial  law  in  Texas,  deprive  us  of  our 
civil  liberty,  and  force  us  to  acknowledge  his  dictator 
ship,  as  he  has  already  done  with  every  other  Mexi- 

27 


28  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

can  state.  It  is  reported  that  this  army,  commanded 
by  the  President's  brother-in-law,  General  Martin 
Perfecto  Cos,  is  to  come  by  sea,  land  on  our  coast,  and 
overrun  the  country.  So  Deaf  Smith  has  been  sent 
out  by  the  Committee  of  Safety  to  watch  for  his 
arrival  and  notify  them  of  his  approach. 

"  It  is  further  stated  that  General  Cos  has 
orders  to  disarm  all  American  settlers,  drive  from 
the  state  those  who  have  entered  it  since  1830,  and 
to  arrest  on  the  charge  of  treason  a  number  of  per 
sons,  among  whom  is  your  friend  Travis." 

"  Will  Travis,  father  !  "  exclaimed  Rex.  "  Why 
should  they  arrest  him  ?  What  has  he  done  ?  " 

"  He  headed  the  first  armed  opposition  to  Santa 
Anna  in  Texas,  by  leading  the  party  that  drove  his 
military  tax-collectors  from  Anahuac  on  Galveston 
Bay  a  few  months  ago.  Since  then  he  has  publicly  de 
clared  that  Texas  must  either  become  an  independent 
republic  or  else  be  annexed  to  the  United  States." 

"  How  I  wish  I  had  been  with  him  !  "  cried  Rex, 
his  imagination  already  on  fire.  "  And  wouldn't  it 
be  fine  if  Texas  could  only  become  a  republic  all  by 
herself?  That  would  be  worth  fighting  for." 

"  It  certainly  would,"  replied  Squire  Harden,  with 
a  smile  at  his  son's  enthusiasm.  "  But  I  think  it 
would  be  better  if,  after  winning  our  indepen 
dence,  we  could  join  the  glorious  American  union  of 
States.  Texas  rightfully  belongs  to  the  United  States 
anyhow." 


FOUR   TEXAS   REBELS  29 

"  How  so,  father  ?  I  thought  Texas  had  always 
belonged  to  Mexico." 

"  So  do  a  good  many  other  persons  think  so,  and 
that  is  what  the  Mexicans  claim ;  but,  nevertheless, 
it  is  a  false  notion.  Texas  was  discovered  and  set 
tled  by  the  French  under  La  Salle,  who,  in  1G85, 
planted  a  colony  on  Matagorda  Bay.  As  he  had 
already  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
taken  possession  of  Louisiana  on  behalf  of  the  King 
of  France,  so  he  now  took  possession  of  Texas  and 
declared  it  to  be  a  part  of  the  same  territory.  At 
that  time  the  nearest  Spanish  settlement  in  Mexico 
was  so  far  away  that  the  Rio  Grande  flowed  midway 
between  it  and  La  Salle's  colony  on  Matagorda  Bay. 
Thus,  according  to  the  law  of  nations  regulating 
the  discovery  and  acquisition  of  new  countries,  the 
French  territory  of  Louisiana  extended  to  the  Rio 
Grande." 

"  Then,"  demanded  Rex,  "  when  France  sold  Lou 
isiana  to  the  United  States,  why  didn't  we  claim  the 
Rio  Grande  as  its  western  boundary  ?  " 

"  We  did,"  replied  his  father  ;  "  but  in  the  mean 
time  La  Salle's  colony  having  been  destroyed,  and 
no  more  Frenchmen  having  come  to  reestablish  it, 
the  Spaniards  overran  the  country  and  occupied  it 
after  a  fashion  for  more  than  one  hundred  years. 
During  that  time  they  pushed  as  far  east  as  the  Red 
River,  which  they  declared  was  the  western  boundary 
of  French  territory.  When,  in  1803,  France  sold 


30  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Louisiana  to  the  United  States  for  fifteen  millions  of 
dollars,  the  question  of  a  boundary  between  it  and 
Mexico  was  instantly  raised.  Spain  now  claimed 
the  Mississippi  as  the  dividing  line,  and  we  claimed 
the  Rio  Grande.  Finally  the  Sabine  River,  about 
midway  between  the  two,  was  agreed  upon,  and  since 
then  it  has  been  generally  admitted  that  Texas  is 
legally  a  Mexican  state. 

"When,  in  1821,  Mexico  threw  off  the  hated  yoke 
of  Spain,  she  found  no  firmer  friends,  nor  braver  fight 
ers  in  the  cause  of  her  freedom  than  the  Americans  of 
Texas.  Upon  the  adoption  of  a  liberal  constitution 
in  1824  all  Texans  rejoiced  and  swore  to  support  it. 
Relying  upon  its  promises,  thousands  of  settlers 
flocked  to  Texas  and  made  new  homes  within  her 
borders.  Finally,  their  members  so  aroused  the 
jealousy  of  the  Mexicans  that  in  1830  President 
Bustamente  issued  a  decree  forbidding  any  further 
immigration  from  the  United  States  and  revoking 
many  of  the  privileges  granted  to  those  of  us  already 
settled  here.  At  the  same  time  troops  were  sent  to 
enforce  these  measures,  and  it  was  ordered  that  the 
money  for  their  maintenance  should  be  raised  in 
Texas.  Thus  we  were  not  only  required  to  sub 
mit  to  our  oppressors,  but  to  support  them. 

"  In  1832,  when  Santa  Anna  raised  the  standard  of 
revolt  against  Bustamente  and  declared  for  the  Con 
stitution  of  1824,  the  Texans  hailed  him  as  a  lib 
erator  and  took  up  arms  in  his  cause.  They  were 


FOUR  TEXAS  REBELS  31 

everywhere  successful  and  showed  such  a  capacity 
for  self-defence  that  when  Santa  Anna  assumed  the 
title  of  Dictator,  he  became  more  intensely  jealous  of 
the  growing  American  power  in  Texas  than  any  of 
his  predecessors.  So  in  January  of  this  year  (1835) 
the  Mexican  Congress,  composed  almost  wholly  of 
members  selected  by  Santa  Anna,  overthrew  the 
Constitution  of  1824,  meeting  with  opposition  only 
from  the  representatives  of  our  own  state  and  those 
from  Zacatecas.  Then  Congress  passed  two  acts,  the 
first  of  which  declared  Zacatecas  to  be  in  a  state  of 
rebellion.  The  second  reduced  the  militia  to  one 
soldier  for  every  five  hundred  inhabitants,  and 
ordered  all  other  citizens  to  be  disarmed." 

"  Does  that  mean,"  asked  Rex,  indignantly,  "  that 
they  are  going  to  take  away  all  our  rifles,  and  leave 
us  without  the  means  of  defence  against  Indians,  or 
for  hunting  ?  " 

"  It  means  that  'they  are  going  to  attempt  some 
thing  of  that  sort,"  replied  Squire  Harden,  signifi 
cantly. 

"  Well,  they  can't  do  it !  that's  all,  and  I  would 
just  like  to  see  them  try,"  cried  the  lad,  hotly. 
"It  is  the  most  outrageous  proposition  I  ever  heard 
of." 

"  I  am  afraid  your  desire  will  be  granted,"  rejoined 
the  squire  ;  "  for  it  looks  very  much  as  though  Santa 
Anna  was  going  to  try  and  enforce  his  unjust  decrees 
without  further  delay.  He  began  by  leading  an  army 


82  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

against  Zacatecas  and  gave  the  alleged  rebels  a  most 
terrible  punishment.  In  one  battle  he  killed  two 
thousand  of  them  and  made  prisoners  of  twenty- 
seven  hundred  more.  Then  he  marched  into  the 
capital  of  the  state,  which  was  one  of  the  wealth 
iest  cities  in  Mexico,  and  for  two  days  allowed  his 
soldiers  unrestrained  license  to  kill  and  plunder  the 
unfortunate  inhabitants.  In  consequence  of  this 
crushing  blow  the  state  has  submitted  to  his  will, 
and  now  he  proposes  to  turn  his  attention  to  us. 

"  At  Monclovia  our  legislature  has  already  been 
dispersed,  and  our  governor  has  been  made  a  prisoner 
by  Santa  Anna's  troops.  There  is,  as  you  know,  a 
strong  garrison  at  San  Antonio.  General  Cos  is  re 
ported  to  be  on  his  way  to  reenforce  it,  and  the 
Dictator  has  declared  that  if  we  make  any  show  of 
resistance  to  his  authority,  he  himself  will  take  the 
field  with  an  army  powerful  enough  to  sweep  every 
American  from  Texas." 

"  Oh,  if  he  only  does  come  !  "  cried  Rex,  "  what  a 
lesson  we  will  teach  him  !  " 

"  Don't  brag,  son,  and  don't  be  too  confident," 
admonished  his  father.  "  Remember  that  over- 
confidence  is  as  fatal  to  success  as  indecision.  Con 
sider,  too,  the  fearful  odds  that  will  be  arrayed 
against  us.  The  Texans  are  poor,  few  in  number, 
without  any  form  of  military  organization,  dwelling 
in  a  country  filled  with  enemies,  and,  worst  of  all, 
they  are  divided  into  factions  that  are  working 


FOUR  TEXAS  REBELS  33 

against  each  other  with  might  and  main.  We  are, 
moreover,  without  a  leader ;  and,  in  case  of  an 
uprising,  must  be  regarded  by  the  world  as  rebels 
against  legally  constituted  authority." 

" 1  don't  care  a  snap  !  "  exclaimed  Rex.  "  If  we 
are  few  in  numbers,  one  Texan  is  worth  ten  Mexicans 
any  day,  when  it  conies  to  fighting.  If  we  are  poor, 
then  we  have  so  much  the  less  to  lose  and  more  to 
gain.  If  we  have  no  military  organization,  then  we 
will  fight  without  one,  as  the  Comanches  do,  and  the 
Mexicans  have  never  yet  been  able  to  whip  them. 
An  invasion  will  consolidate  factions,  and  a  leader 
will  be  found  when  we  really  need  him.  As  for 
being  rebels,  I  for  one  should  be  more  proud  of 
being  called  a  rebel  in  such  a  cause  than  anything 
else  I  can  think  of." 

"  And  here  is  another  rebel  !  "  cried  impulsive 
Mabel,  moving  to  her  brother's  side  and  throwing 
an  arm  about  him. 

"  I  am  afraid,  Ellis,  that  I  too  shall  have  to  join 
the  rebels,"  laughed  Mrs.  Harden.  "  I  didn't  know 
that  I  was  one  until  this  evening ;  but  you  have 
explained  the  situation  so  clearly  that  I  can't  be 
a  Texan  without  being  a  rebel,  and  so  I  mean  to 
be  both." 

"  A  pretty  state  of  affairs,  upon  my  word  !  "  cried 
the  squire.  "  But  if  you  think  I  am  going  to  be 
left  out  of  this  rebellion  that  already  claims  those 
whom  I  love  best  and  whatever  I  hold  most  dear, 


34  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

you  are  mightily  mistaken.  No  indeed  !  and  I 
hereby  declare  myself  to  be  the  arch-rebel  of  all 
this  rebellious  company,  since  the  case  I  have  just 
presented  was  exactly  calculated  to  bring  about 
this  happy  result.  It  will  be  a  sad  day  for  Santa 
Anna  and  a  glorious  one  for  Texas  when  every 
family  in  the  state  becomes  as  united  in  rebellion 
against  the  despotism  of  Mexico  as  mine  is  at  this 
moment.  Then  will  we  win  independence  for  our 
beloved  country." 

"  We  will  win  it  anyhow,  father ;  I  know  we 
will,"  declared  Rex. 

"Yes,  son,  I  believe  we  will,  though  it  is  going 
to  be  a  hard  fight,  and  one  in  which  victory  will 
only  be  gained  after  many  bitter  reverses.  Mexico 
is  populous  and  wealthy.  Her  people  are  united 
under  a  leader  skilled  in  war,  who  is  as  cruel  and 
unscrupulous  as  he  is  ambitious.  He  has  already 
denounced  all  Americans  who  may  take  up  arms 
in  the  cause  of  Texas  as  pirates,  and  declares  that 
he  shall  deal  with  them  as  such.  He  is  supported 
by  a  regular  army  of  veteran  soldiers,  and  can 
bring  the  resources  of  a  nation  to  the  crushing  of 
a  single  state.  He  has  everything,  while  we  have 
nothing." 

"  But,  father,  have  I  not  heard  you  say  that  an 
Englishman  never  knows  when  he  is  whipped,  and 
the  greater  the  odds  are  against  him,  the  better 
he  fights  ?  If  that  is  true  of  the  English,  is  it 


FOUR   TEXAS   REBELS  35 

not  equally  so  of  their  American  descendants  ?  and 
consequently  ought  not  the  odds  against  us  to  be 
counted  as  just  so  many  points  in  our  favor  ?  " 

"  That  is  good  logic,  son,  and  does  credit  to  your 
schooling,"  admitted  the  squire.  "  I  only  pray  God 
that  it  may  be  sustained  by  results." 


CHAPTER   V 

JAMES   BOWIE,    FIGHTER 

FOR  a  week  after  the  exciting  day  that  wit 
nessed  Rex  Harden's  capture  of  the  horse  he 
had  so  long  coveted,  the  lad  devoted  every  spare 
moment  to  winning  Tawny's  affections  and  to 
training  him  for  future  usefulness.  He  alone  fed, 
groomed,  and  cared  for  the  animal,  the  only  ex 
ception  to  this  rule  being  that  Mabel  was  allowed 
to  win  a  share  of  his  regard  through  occasional 
treats  of  sugar.  Every  day  Rex  and  he  took  long 
splendid  runs  across  the  brown  prairies,  and  from 
each  one  they  returned  better  acquainted  with  each 
other  than  before. 

The  most  important  lesson  learned  by  Tawny 
during  this  schooling  was  that  of  repressing  any 
sign  of  nervousness  at  the  sound  of  firearms.  At 
first  he  was  made  familiar  with  the  report  of  a 
pistol  fired  from  the  saddle,  but  ere  the  week  was 
ended  a  rifle  might  be  discharged  between  his  ears 
without  causing  him  to  flinch.  Rex  also  practised 
a  certain  shrill  whistle  that  he  always  sounded  at 
feeding  time  until  Tawny  learned  to  recognize  it 
and  come  at  its  call. 

36 


JAMES   BOWIE,  FIGHTER  37 

Absorbed  as  he  thus  was  in  educating  the  superb 
creature  that  acknowledged  him  as  master,  Rex  by 
no  means  forgot  the  conversation  with  his  father 
that  had  in  a  few  minutes  transformed  him  from 
a  loyal  Mexican  subject  into  a  bitter  young  Texan 
rebel.  His  long  rides  afforded  him  ample  time 
for  thought,  and  the  more  he  reflected  upon  the 
wretched  condition  of  his  native  state  under  Mexi 
can  rule,  and  dreamed  of  her  glorious  future,  if 
only  she  could  achieve  independence,  the  more  ar 
dently  did  he  long  for  the  time  to  come  when  even 
he  might  strike  a  blow  in  the  cause  of  freedom. 
He  had  not  yet  dared  express  his  hopes  and  long 
ings  to  his  parents,  but  with  Mabel  he  had  talked 
freely  concerning  them.  Into  Tawny 's  sensitive 
ears  he  also  whispered  of  the  daring  things  he 
meant  to  do  if  war  should  be  declared,  and  of 
how  brave  they  both  must  be  if  ever  they  found 
themselves  in  a  battle. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  week  it  was  noticed  at 
the  ranch  that  while  travellers  were  still  occasion 
ally  seen  on  their  way  westward  or  in  the  direction 
of  San  Antonio,  none  had  come  from  that  place  in 
several  days.  The  last  to  do  so  had  been  a  messen 
ger  from  the  Mexican  Commandant  of  the  district 
to  the  people  of  Gonzales.  He  bore  a  demand  for 
the  return  of  a  brass  field-piece  borrowed  by  them 
some  years  before  for  defence  against  Indians. 
They  promptly  refused  to  give  up  the  gun,  declar- 


38  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

ing  that  they  still  needed  it  for  defence,  and  with 
this  answer  the  messenger  returned  to  San  Antonio. 
Since  then  the  inmates  of  the  Rancho  Herrera  had 
heard  nothing  concerning  the  affair,  and  were  grow 
ing  decidedly  anxious  as  to  how  it  might  result. 

One  afternoon  while  they  were  in  this  frame  of 
mind  a  horseman  coming  from  the  east  reined  up 
before  the  great  house,  and  was  cordially  greeted 
by  Squire  Harden.  He  was  tall  and  handsome,  fair- 
haired  and  blue-eyed,  carried  himself  with  a  military 
air,  and  had  the  look  of  one  who  would  be  either  a 
loyal  friend  or  a  bitter  enemy.  He  was  both;  for  he 
was  James  Bowie,  the  most  noted  duellist  in  the 
southwest  at  that  moment,  and  the  best-known  man 
in  Texas.  As  a  son-in-law  of  ex  Governor  Vera 
mendi  of  San  Antonio,  whose  eldest  daughter  he  had 
married  some  years  before,  he  possessed  influence 
among  Mexicans  as  well  as  with  Americans,  though 
by  the  former  he  was  more  feared  than  liked. 

"  Well,  James,  what  news  do  you  bring  ?  "  asked 
Squire  Harden,  after  he  had  seen  his  guest  provided 
with  refreshments  and  comfortably  established  on 
the  porch. 

"  The  best  and  the  worst,  squire,"  replied  the  new 
comer.  "  I  bring  the  news  that  Texans  everywhere 
are  declaring  for  independence,  and  also  that  war 
can  no  longer  be  averted,  since  Cos  has  landed 
at  Matagorda  with  dire  threats  against  all  Ameri 
cans." 


JAMES  BOWIE,  FIGHTER  39 

"  That  Cos  has  landed  is  indeed  news,"  said  the 
squire,  thoughtfully.  "  How  did  you  learn  it  ?  " 

"  Deaf  Smith  brought  the  report  to  Gonzales 
yesterday,  and  has  gone  on  to  notify  Austin  at  San 
Felipe  as  well  as  Houston  at  Nacogdoches.  I  am  on 
my  way  to  San  Antonio  to  discover  the  state  of 
public  feeling  there,  to  remove  my  wife  and  her 
sister  to  a  place  of  greater  safety,  and  last  but  not 
least,  to  notify  you  as  chief  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  for  this  district,  that  you  are  urged  to  repair 
without  delay  to  San  Felipe  and  assist  in  establish 
ing  a  permanent  State  Council." 

"  I  suppose  that  is  all  that  a  cripple  is  fit  for," 
replied  the  squire,  bitterly,  "  but  I  would  willingly 
give  ten  years  of  my  life  to  shoulder  a  rifle,  and  march 
on  two  sound  legs  against  those  who  propose  to  en 
slave  us.  To  remain  idle  at  a  safe  distance  and  allow 
others  to  fight  for  him  is  indeed  a  hard  fate  for  one 
whose  chief  desire  in  life  is  for  his  country's  freedom." 

"  I  know  how  you  feel,  squire,"  answered  Bowie, 
gently,  "  and  I  honor  your  sentiments.  At  the  same 
time  there  is  another  side  to  the  question.  While  it 
is  certain  that  Texas  can  never  gain  her  freedom 
without  fighting  for  it,  it  is  equally  certain  that  she 
cannot  fight  without  an  army,  and  that  an  army  can 
not  be  raised  without  authority.  It  must  also  be 
equipped,  maintained,  and  directed  by  the  authority 
that  calls  it  into  existence.  And  this  is  only  a 
small  portion  of  the  labor  that  will  devolve  upon 


40  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  J30WIE 

that  same  authority.  So,  squire,  you  won't  have  a 
chance  to  be  idle  in  San  Felipe,  nor  will  you  be  even 
safe.  Santa  Anna  will  set  a  price  on  the  head  of 
every  member  of  that  Council,  and  unless  we  can 
successfully  resist  him  you  will  be  the  especial 
objects  of  his  vengeance.  Texas  has  plenty  of  men 
to  fight  for  her,  but  very  few  fitted  by  nature  or 
education  to  do  her  thinking.  You  are  one  of  those 
few,  and  even  if  you  had  the  legs  of  a  centipede 
combined  with  the  strength  of  a  Goliath,  we  could 
not  spare  you  from  our  Council." 

"  There  is  much  truth  in  what  you  say,  James,  and 
of  course,  since  I  am  useless  as  a  fighter,  I  will  go  to 
San  Felipe  as  a  talker." 

"  And  as  a  worker,  a  writer,  and  a  planner,  squire, 
—  one  who  will  cheer  on  the  brave,  encourage  the 
faltering,  and  shame  the  cowardly.  I  tell  you,  my 
dear  friend,  it  will  be  a  fine  thing  for  the  fighters  to 
feel  that  they  are  backed  up  in  their  government  by 
such  thinkers  as  you." 

"  That  may  all  be,  James,  and  I  will  do  what  I  can 
in  any  way  that  offers.  At  the  same  time  it  is  very 
certain  that  you  will  find  many  more  men  in  Texas 
ready  to  talk  than  to  fight  for  her.  However,  of  one 
thing  I  am  assured  :  those  who  do  fight  will  fight 
to  the  bitter  end." 

"  You  are  right,  squire.  They  surely  will,"  an 
swered  Bowie,  with  a  flash  in  his  blue  eyes  that  told 
how  he  would  fight. 


JAMES   BOWIE,  FIGHTER  41 

"  I  wish,"  continued  the  other,  meditatively,  "  that 
I  knew  the  exact  state  of  affairs  in  San  Antonio,  for 
I  cannot  join  the  Council  without  first  providing  for 
the  safety  of  my  family." 

"  Let  me  ride  to  town  with  Colonel  Bowie,  and 
find  out  what  is  going  on,"  suggested  Rex,  who  had 
been  an  eager  though  silent  listener  to  the  foregoing 
conversation. 

"  You,  son  !  "  exclaimed  Squire  Harden,  gazing  at 
the  speaker  doubtfully,  as  though  surprised  that  one 
so  young  should  even  think  of  undertaking  such  a 
mission.  "No,  of  course  I  can't  let  you  go.  San 
Antonio  is  altogether  too  dangerous  a  place  for 
young  Texas  rebels  just  now.  And  yet  I  don't 
know,"  he  added,  with  a  sudden  realizing  sense  that 
the  sturdy,  well-knit  figure  standing  before  him  was 
no  longer  a  child,  but  as  gallant  a  youth  as  could  be 
found  in  a  day's  ride.  "You  are  as  tall  as  I  am. 
You  have  two  sound  legs,  you  whipped  Tawny  in 
fair  fight,  and  it  may  be  that  on  this  errand  you  will 
find  a  chance  to  render  Texas  a  service.  Yes,  boy, 
you  may  go.  At  the  same  time,  do  not  delay  your 
return  ;  for  we  shall  not  only  be  anxious  concerning 
you  during  every  minute  of  your  absence,  but  your 
report  will  determine  our  plans." 

"  Don't  you  fret,  squire.  I'll  see  that  the  lad  comes 
to  no  harm,"  said  Bowie,  as  Rex  hurried  away  to 
prepare  Tawny  for  the  ride  that  was  to  be  under 
taken  at  once. 


42  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

"  Thank  you,  James  ;  I  know  that  he  could  not 
begin  his  career  in  safer  hands  than  yours." 

A  few  minutes  later  Bowie  and  his  young  com 
panion,  whose  superb  mount  excited  the  other's 
enthusiastic  admiration,  had  taken  their  departure, 
and  in  less  than  three  hours  they  were  within  sight 
of  the  ancient  Spanish  town  of  San  Antonio  de 
Bexar. 

Old  as  this  principal  city  of  Western  Texas  was 
even  at  that  time,  and  populous  as  it  has  become 
since  the  Americans  made  it  their  own,  in  the  year 
1835  it  contained  less  than  two  thousand  souls  and 
was  of  but  small  commercial  importance.  Located 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  San  Antonio  River,  some  five 
miles  south  of  where  that  limpid  stream  springs  in 
full  volume  from  the  Guadalupe  foot-hills,  the 
town  as  Bowie  and  Rex  saw  it  consisted  of  a  few 
hundred  low  stone  or  adobe  houses  lining  narrow 
streets  and  thickly  clustered  about  a  cathedral  that 
faced  an  open  plaza.  Not  more  than  a  dozen  of  the 
better  houses  rose  above  a  single  story,  but  most  of 
them  were  flat  roofed,  and  all  had  stout  walls  covered 
on  the  outside  with  a  white  plaster.  Beyond  these 
clustered  houses  was  a  ragged  fringe  of  jacals  or 
hovels  built  of  sticks,  cornstalks,  mud,  or  anything 
else  that  came  to  hand,  and  occupied  by  the  peons  or 
servants  of  the  town. 

Through  several  of  the  unpaved  streets,  which  were 
quagmires  in  wet  weather  and  beds  of  dust  in  dry, 


JAMES  BOWIE,  FIGHTER  43 

ran  acequias  or  ditches  of  clear  water,  from  which 
the  domestic  supply  was  drawn. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  town  was  enclosed 
within  a  great  ID  shaped  bend  of  the  river,  which 
might  be  crossed  at  a  shallow  ford  or  by  means  of  a 
single  bridge.  On  a  slight  elevation  northeast  of  this 
bridge,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  it,  or  a  half  a 
mile  from  the  Plaza,  stood  the  mission  of  the  Alamo, 
long  since  diverted  from  its  original  use  and  become 
a  barracks  for  the  garrison  of  San  Antonio. 

Besides  the  Alamo  and  the  mission  of  San  Fernando, 
to  which  the  cathedral  belonged,  there  were  four 
other  missions  located  on  alternate  sides  of  the  river 
south  of  the  city  at  distances  of  from  two  to  nine 
miles  from  it.  Thus  San  Antonio  was  essentially  a 
Spanish  mission  city  in  which,  up  to  the  outbreak  of 
the  revolution,  very  few  Americans  had  made  their 
homes,  and  now  most  of  these  had  left,  to  escape  the 
threatened  storm  of  war. 

As  our  travellers  drew  near  to  this  ancient  city,  it 
was  bathed  in  a  glow  from  the  setting  sun  and  pre 
sented  a  picture  of  perfect  peace.  Peons  were  home 
returning  from  the  irrigated  fields,  flocks  and  herds 
were  being  driven  to  their  safe  corrals,  the  evening 
bells  of  San  Fernando  were  answering  the  distant 
chime  of  the  mission  San  Jose,  and  from  the  grim 
Alamo  the  mellow  notes  of  a  cavalry  trumpet  rang 
out  clear  and  sweet  on  the  still  air. 

The  two  horsemen  passed  the  garita  or  lookout,  a 


44  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

stout  block-house  crowning  a  gentle  slope  a  mile  east 
of  the  town,  without  observing  any  signs  of  human 
presence.  If,  however,  they  had  glanced  back  after 
passing  it,  they  would  have  seen  a  quick  waving  of 
signal  flags  from  its  roof.  But  they  did  not  turn 
their  heads,  and  so  had  no  suspicion  that  their 
coming  was  already  noted  and  reported  to  the  troops 
in  the  distant  Alamo. 


CHAPTER  VI 

IN  THE   STREETS   OF   SAN   ANTONIO 

ALTHOUGH  neither  Rex  nor  Bowie  looked  back 
after  passing  the  garita,  they  realized  that  a  certain 
amount  of  danger  might  await  them  in  a  city  filled 
with  troops  intended  for  the  subjugation  of  their 
country.  Therefore  as  they  descended  into  the 
river  bottom  and  entered  the  shadow  of  its  border 
ing  belt  of  timber,  Bowie  asked  his  companion  if 
he  knew  of  any  place  on  that  side  where  he  could 
leave  his  horse  in  safety. 

"  If  you  do,"  he  continued,  "  I  think  it  would  be 
well  to  conceal  him  and  enter  the  city  on  foot,  for  it 
is  possible  that  so  fine  an  animal  might  be  seized  for 
use  in  the  army  if  the  soldiers  caught  sight  of  him. 
At  the  same  time  an  emergency  might  arise  in  which 
you  would  have  urgent  need  of  his  services." 

44  Yes,"  replied  Rex,  after  a  moment's  thought, 
44 1  think  I  know  of  such  a  place ;  though  as  Tawny 
will  allow  no  one  but  me  to  care  for  him,  I  cannot 
leave  him  there  very  long." 

44 1  don't  think  you  will  need  to  leave  him  for 
more  than  an  hour  or  two,"  rejoined  the  other  ; 
44  but  I  am  convinced  that  it  will  be  best  for  us  to 

45 


46  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

separate  before  appearing  in  town,  and  for  you  to 
enter  it  on  foot.  They  won't  dare  interfere  with  my 
movements,  at  least  not  for  a  while,  and  so  I  shall  ride 
directly  to  the  Veramendi  house.  There  I  can  quickly 
obtain  all  necessary  information,  and  shall  look  for 
you  to  rejoin  me  as  soon  as  it  becomes  fairly  dark. 
You  are  sure  that  your  proposed  hiding-place  is  a 
safe  one  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  replied  Rex,  "  for  it  is  the  house  of 
Manuel  Peralta,  who  is  under  obligations  to  my 
father  that  he  is  anxious  to  repay." 

"  Humph!  "  ejaculated  Bowie,  sceptically.  "  I  know 
the  place,  and  if  you  don't  turn  up  within  an  hour,  I 
shall  visit  it  in  search  of  you.  But  here  is  the  road 
to  it  now.  So  adios,  for  a  little." 

Thus  they  parted,  Bowie  taking  the  road  to  the 
bridge,  and  Rex  that  leading  to  the  ford  near  which 
stood  Manuel  Peralta's  little  adobe  house.  At  the 
bridge  the  former  was  halted  by  a  guard,  the  officer 
of  which  demanded  to  know  what  had  become  of  his 
companion. 

"  I  have  no  companion,"  replied  Bowie. 

"But  you  had  one  when  you  passed  the  garita.'\ 

"That  may  be." 

"  What  has  become  of  him  ?  " 

"  Quien  sabe  ! "  (who  knows). 

"  That  you  do  not  answer,  Seiior  Americano,  makes 
it  plain  that  you  are  a  character  of  suspicion.  As 
such  I  am  compelled  to  lead  you  to  the  Commandante, 


IN  THE  STREETS  OF  SAN  ANTONIO  47 

who  will  no  doubt  derive  great  pleasure  from  your 
conversation." 

"  Thanks.  But  I  have  no  desire  to  meet  the  gen 
eral  to-night,  and  in  fact  am  too  busy.  Therefore  I 
regret  that  I  cannot  accompany  you,  Senor  Teniente." 

"  But  you  must !  "  cried  the  officer,  angrily.  "  Sol- 
dados,  seize  him ! " 

"  Stand  back,  soldades  !  Don't  you  dare  lay  a  hand 
on  James  Bowie,"  thundered  the  American,  at  the 
same  time  clapping  spurs  to  his  horse. 

The  animal  sprang  forward  with  such  violence  that 
one  of  the  guard  was  hurled  to  the  ground,  while  the 
others  instinctively  drew  back,  awed  as  much  by  the 
name  they  had  just  heard,  as  by  the  man's  bold 
move. 

"  Buenas  noches,  seiiores  !  "  shouted  back  Bowie, 
mockingly,  as  he  flew  down  the  street  leading  to 
the  heart  of  the  town  and  disappeared  in  the  gath 
ering  dusk. 

"  Carrajo  !  "  hissed  the  baffled  officer  between  his 
teeth.  "  Senor  James  Bowie  shall  answer  with  blood 
for  this  insult.  He  has  entered  the  city,  but  like  a 
rat,  easily  entering  a  trap,  he  will  find  the  difficulty 
in  getting  out  again.  Now  will  I  look  for  the  other 
rat,  who  has  doubtless  gone  by  the  ford.  It  is  then 
fortunate  that  I  stationed  a  guard  also  at  that  place." 

Manuel  Peralta  had  been  a  herder  on  the  Ranch o 
Herrera  until  an  accident  so  crippled  him  as  to  com 
pel  the  use  of  crutches.  Feeling  a  deep  sympathy 


48  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

for  the  man  on  account  of  the  similarity  in  their 
misfortunes,  Squire  Harden  had  loaned  him  sufficient 
money  to  purchase  a  small  house  near  San  Antonio 
and  establish  himself  as  a  zapatero,  or  shoemaker. 
Not  one  peso  of  this  money  had  yet  been  repaid, 
although  the  man  seemed  to  have  a  fairly  good  busi 
ness,  and  was  always  ready  to  promise  that  he  would 
pay  something  on  account  within  a  few  days. 

He  had  one  son,  a  bright  little  chap  of  perhaps  ten 
years  old,  named  Murillo.  This  child  was  a  great 
favorite  with  Rex,  who  rarely  failed  to  bring  him 
some  present  when  he  visited  the  city,  and  who  was 
regarded  by  the  little  one  with  an  ardent  admira 
tion. 

It  was  at  this  place,  then,  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
town,  and  close  to  the  ford,  that  Rex  proposed  to 
leave  Tawny  while  he  crossed  the  river  and  visited 
his  friends  of  the  Veramendi  household.  He  might 
have  hesitated  before  doing  so  had  he  known  that, 
since  the  coming  of  troops  to  San  Antonio,  Peralta 
had  found  the  selling  of  liquor  to  the  soldiers  so 
much  more  profitable  than  the  making  of  shoes  that 
he  had  turned  his  establishment  into  a  pulqueria,  or 
place  for  drinking. 

Ignorant  of  this  fact,  Rex,  after  parting  from 
Bowie,  turned  his  horse  towards  the  ford  and  a  few 
minutes  later  reached  the  little  adobe  house,  which 
stood  in  the  shadow  of  a  wide-spreading  umbrella 
tree.  Behind  it  was  a  tiny  stable  for  the  accom- 


IN  THE   STREETS  OF  SAN  ANTONIO  49 

modation  of  the  donkey  on  which  Manuel  Peralta 
rode  into  town  whenever  business  called  him  that 
far  from  home. 

As  Rex  drew  near,  he  heard  the  sound  of  so  many 
voices  coming  from  the  front  of  the  house  that  he 
cautiously  turned  to  one  side,  determined  to  secure 
Tawny  in  the  stable  before  making  his  presence 
known.  Riding  up  to  this  and  dismounting,  he  dis 
covered  his  little  friend  Murillo  seated  on  the  ground 
just  outside,  and  feeding  with  bits  of  meat  a  superb 
fighting  cock  which  he  recognized  as  one  he  had  pre 
sented  to  the  child  when  it  was  still  a  chicken  nearly 
a  year  before. 

The  boy  was  so  intent  upon  his  occupation  that 
he  did  not  observe  his  friend's  approach  until  the 
latter  stood  beside  him,  saying: 

"  Hello,  'Rillo  !     What  are  you  doing  ?  " 

At  this  the  child  scrambled  to  his  feet  in  affright. 
In  another  instant  his  face  beamed  with  joy,  and 
without  wasting  any  time  in  the  formalities  of  greet 
ing  he  at  once  began  to  talk  of  his  wonderful  chicken, 
which,  as  Rex  now  saw,  was  tethered  by  one  leg  to  a 
small  stake. 

"  Oh,  Senor  Rex,  you  are  come  just  in  time  for  the 
battle  royal,  the  greatest  cock  fight  ever  seen  in  San 
Antonio.  It  will  be  on  Sunday,  which  is  to-morrow, 
and  no  chicken  in  the  city  will  stand  up  for  more 
than  one  minute  before  El  Bravo.  All  the  soldados 
say  the  same,  and  Domingo,  who  knows  the  most  of 


50  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

any,  is  to  handle  him,  and  will  divide  with  me  the 
pesos  that  he  will  win.  He  is  to  wear  spurs  of  steel 
that  will  tear  like  the  thorns  of  the  mesquite  and  cut 
like  knives.  Also,  Seiior  —  " 

"  I  have  no  doubt  it  will  all  be  very  fine,"  inter 
rupted  Rex,  "and  I  hope  El  Bravo  will  win  the  battle, 
of  course;  but  before  I  hear  any  more  about  it  I  want 
you  to  help  me  put  my  horse  in  the  stable  of  the 
donkey,  and  fetch  him  some  water,  as  well  as  some 
corn,  if  you  know  where  to  find  any." 

Eager  to  do  anything  to  oblige  his  dear  friend,  the 
child  promptly  routed  the  indignant  donkey  from  his 
comfortable  quarters,  of  which  Tawny  was  quickly 
placed  in  possession,  showed  Rex  where  to  find  corn, 
and  ran  to  the  river  for  a  bucket  of  water. 

When  the  new-comer  had  seen  his  horse  thus  cared 
for,  though  he  did  not  deem  it  best  to  remove  either 
saddle  or  bridle,  he  asked  'Rillo  why  so  many  per 
sons  were  gathered  before  the  house,  and  who  they 
were. 

"  They  are  the  soldados  who  guard  the  ford,  that 
none  may  cross  after  the  Angelus,  and  they  are  come 
for  a  glass  of  pulque,"  was  the  unexpected  answer. 
"  Of  course,"  continued  the  child,  "  they  will  permit 
you  to  cross  if  you  wish,  for  they  are  my  friends,  and 
I  will  tell  them  that  you,  also,  are  my  best  friend 
of  all.  Come  quick  that  you  may  know  them,  for 
already  they  are  leaving  and  will  go  back  to  the 
other  side." 


IN  THE   STREETS  OF   SAN  ANTONIO  51 

"  Hold  on  !  "  cried  Rex,  in  a  low  tone,  at  the  same 
time  drawing  the  boy  inside  the  stable,  that  they 
might  not  be  seen  by  the  departing  soldiers.  When 
they  were  thus  hidden  from  view,  he  said : 

"  'Rillo,  if  I  am  your  best  friend,  you  will  do  some 
thing  for  me,  will  you  not  ?  " 

44  I  will  do  anything  that  the  senor  shall  demand," 
answered  the  child,  loyally ;  "  even  if  he  desired  El 
Bravo,  he  should  have  him." 

44  Oh  no  !  I  shall  not  ask  anything  so  great  as  that. 
I  only  want  you  to  promise  not  to  let  your  friends, 
the  soldiers,  know  of  my  coming  to  this  place." 

44  Of  course  I  promise.     That  is  easy." 

44  And  tell  me,  is  there  not  a  boat  of  some  kind  on 
the  river  below  the  ford,  in  which  I  can  cross  to  the 
other  side  ?  I  would  not  keep  it  long,  for  I  shall 
soon  come  back." 

44  There  is  the  canoa  of  Pedro,  but  he  gets  money 
from  those  who  use  it,  and  without  money  he  will 
not  let  them  cross." 

44 1  will  give  you  money  for  him,  and  as  much 
more  for  yourself,  as  well,  if  you  will  lead  me  to  that 
canoe,"  said  Rex.  44  See,  here  is  a  silver  peso,  that 
shall  be  for  you  and  him  to  divide." 

'Rillo  being  thus  satisfied  that  he  was  about  to 
make  a  fine  bargain  for  both  Pedro  and  himself, 
willingly  consented  to  disclose  the  hiding-place  of 
the  canoe.  Thus  within  a  few  minutes  Rex  had 
gained  it  unobserved,  thanks  to  the  darkness  that 


52  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

had  now  fallen,  and  found  himself  poling  Pedro's 
sluggish  craft  across  the  swift  current.  Although 
he  was  carried  some  distance  down  stream,  he  suc 
ceeded  in  gaining  the  opposite  bank,  and  in  making 
a  landing  not  far  from  the  Plaza. 

Moving  swiftly  but  cautiously  along  the  dirty 
streets,  and  keeping  in  the  deepest  shadows,  he  had 
very  nearly  gained  the  house  in  which  he  hoped  to 
find  James  Bowie,  when  a  door  close  at  hand  was 
flung  open,  allowing  a  flood  of  light  to  shine  full 
upon  him. 

At  the  moment  he  was  thus  discovered  a  stern 
voice  from  across  the  street  ordered  him  to  halt. 
The  command  was  accompanied  by  the  ominous 
rattle  of  weapons,  and  for  an  instant  Rex  faltered. 
Then  he  sprang  forward,  determined  to  risk  every 
thing  rather  than  surrender,  and  ran  plump  into  a 
patrol  of  soldiers  who  were  just  turning  in  from  a 
side  street. 


CHAPTER   VII 

BENEATH   THE   VERAMENDI   GARDENS 

So  unexpected  and  impetuous  was  our  lad's  dash 
among  the  members  of  that  astonished  patrol,  that, 
although  several  of  them  clutched  at  him  as  he  shot 
past,  he  had  cleared  them  and  was  flying  up  the 
street  before  they  fairly  realized  what  had  happened. 
Then  with  angry  cries  they  started  in  hot  pursuit, 
and  even  sent  a  couple  of  musket  balls  whistling  in 
the  direction  he  had  taken. 

In  an  instant  the  quiet  street  was  filled  with 
an  uproar.  Doors  and  windows  were  flung  open. 
Shouting  men  and  screaming  women  poured  from 
the  houses,  and  harmless  shots  were  fired  into  the 
air  from  ancient  bell-mouthed  blunderbusses,  whose 
owners  had  been  aching  for  a  safe  opportunity  to 
test  their  noise-producing  power.  Every  one  be 
lieved  that  the  city  either  had  been  or  was  about 
to  be  attacked,  and  cries  of  Los  Americanos  !  Los 
Tejanos  !  (the  Texans)  were  heard  on  all  sides. 

Suddenly  these  cries  were  silenced  by  a  blare  of 
trumpets,  and  the  populace  shrank  back  to  make 
room  for  a  dark  mass  of  cavalry,  that,  coming  from 
their  encampment  in  the  Plaza,  were  making  their 

53 


54  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

way  to  the  ford  of  the  river,  and  completely  filled 
the  narrow  street  from  house  to  house  in  their  pas 
sage.  Forty  files,  of  four  troopers  each,  swept  past, 
and  after  them  rumbled  half  a  dozen  heavy  wagons 
drawn  by  four  mules,  showing  that  some  expedition 
more  serious  than  a  mere  reconnoissance  was  on  foot. 

Some  of  the  spectators  said  this  was  the  advance 
guard  of  General  Cos's  army,  and  others  that  the 
brave  cavalrymen  were  hastening  to  repel  an  attack 
about  to  be  made  on  the  city  at  the  ford.  But  all 
was  speculation,  for  the  secret  of  the  movement  was 
so  well  kept  that  it  was  not  known  to  a  dozen  per 
sons  in  the  city. 

James  Bowie  knew  it,  though  ;  for  Nelita,  his  dark- 
eyed  little  sister-in-law,  had  told  him  even  amid  her 
joyous  greetings,  and  for  many  minutes  he  stood  in 
the  open  doorway  of  the  Veramendi  house,  awaiting 
anxiously  the  appearance  of  his  young  friend. 

He  started  at  the  sudden  uproar  of  shouts  and  fir 
ing,  and  in  the  intentness  of  his  listening  was  barely 
conscious  of  two  pair  of  soft  hands  that  grasped 
his  arms  as  though  seeking  his  protection.  So  in 
deed  they  were  ;  for,  with  parents  dead,  and  their 
only  brother  Florio  a  soldier  on  duty  at  the  Mexican 
capital,  Ysobel  Bowie  and  Nelita  Veramendi,  her 
younger  sister,  knew  not  where  to  turn  for  protec 
tion  during  these  stormy  times,  save  to  the  stalwart 
American  who  had  given  one  of  them  his  name. 

As   they   clung    to    him,    trembling    with    appre- 


BENEATH  THE  VERAMENDI  GARDENS  66 

hension,  arid  he  peered  anxiously  forth  into  the 
darkness,  there  came  a  sound  of  flying  feet,  and  in 
another  moment  Rex  Harden  stood  breathlessly  be 
side  them. 

"Hide  me  quick  !"  he  panted.  "The  soldiers  are 
after  me  !" 

For  answer  James  Bowie  deliberately  closed  the 
stout  doors,  dropped  a  heavy  wooden  bar  into  iron 
sockets  behind  them,  and  said  : 

"Now,  lad,  you  are  safely  hidden,  for  the  time 
being,  and  can  have  a  full  five  minutes  in  which  to 
regain  your  breath.  Tell  us  what  has  happened, 
and  hear  our  news.  That  will  do,  Queridita. 
Don't  choke  the  boy." 

This  last  was  addressed  to  his  wife,  who  had  im 
pulsively  thrown  her  arms  about  the  lad's  neck  and 
kissed  him  ;  while  Nelita  shyly  allowed  him  to  clasp 
her  extended  hand.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  our 
Rex  was  on  intimate  terms  with  the  Veramendi 
family,  the  younger  members  of  which  had  been  his 
playmates  in  childhood,  while  their  father  and  his 
had  been  the  best  of  friends. 

Within  two  minutes  the  young  fugitive  had  re 
covered  his  breath  and  related  his  recent  thrilling 
experiences.  As  he  concluded  Bowie  said  : 

"  Fetch  something  to  eat  and  drink,  Ysobel,  quick 
as  you  can,  for  Rex  must  be  off  again  at  once.  You 
see  there  are  so  many  others  who  want  him  that  we 
must  not  keep  him  long." 


66  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Even  as  he  spoke  there  came  a  furious  pounding 
against  the  outer  doors,  and  loud  demands  that 
they  be  opened  ;  but  without  heeding  these,  Bowie 
continued  : 

"  The  ball  is  to  be  opened  this  very  night,  Rex, 
and  probably  this  very  hour,  by  Castonado,  who  is 
ordered  to  march  on  Gonzales  with  two  companies 
of  cavalry  to  capture  the  disputed  field-piece.  He 
is  also  commissioned  to  disarm  such  Americans  as 
he  may  find,  and  last  but  not  least,  to  arrest  your 
father  and  bring  him  to  San  Antonio  for  trial  as  a 
conspirator  against  the  Government.  So,  lad,  your 
work  is  pretty  plainly  cut  out  for  you,  and  there  is 
a  ride  before  you  that  if  successful  will  become  as 
famous  as  that  of  Paul  Revere.  Not  only  must  you 
warn  the  settlers,  including  your  own  father,  of  Cas- 
tonado's  advance,  which,  with  only  cavalry  in  his 
command,  will  be  a  rapid  one,  but  you  must  manage 
to  give  the  people  of  Gonzales  several  hours'  notice 
of  his  coming  before  he  appears." 

"  But  how  am  I  to  get  away  from  here  ? " 
demanded  Rex,  whose  nerves  were  tingling  with 
the  exciting  news  he  had  just  heard,  as  well  as 
with  the  responsibility  so  suddenly  thrust  upon 
him. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  he  was  dismayed  by  the 
apparent  hopelessness  of  his  position,  for  such  a 
storm  of  blows  was  now  falling  on  the  outer  door 
as  announced  a  determination  to  break  it  in  if  it 


BENEATH  THE   VERAMENDI  GARDENS  57 

were  not  speedily  opened,  and  already  a  sound  of 
angry  voices  from  behind  the  house  proclaimed  it 
to  be  surrounded. 

"Nelita  will  show  you  a  way  out,"  answered 
Bowie,  calmly.  "  So  drink  this  chocolate,  stuff 
these  cakes  into  your  pockets,  and  be  off  while  I 
commune  with  the  idiots  who  are  raising  such  an 
infernal  racket  outside.  Now*  'Lita,  he  is  ready. 
Adios,  lad,  until  we  meet  again." 

Intimate  as  Rex  had  been  with  the  Veramendi 
family,  and  well  as  he  thought  he  knew,  the  low, 
rambling  house  in  which  they  dwelt,  he  had  never 
even  heard  of  the  underground  passage  to  which  he 
was  now  conducted  by  the  girl,  whose  strong  friend 
ship  for  Americans  combined  with  her  sense  of  jus 
tice  to  make  her  an  ardent  champion  of  their  cause. 
It  led  from  a  dark  cellar  where  its  opening  was  so 
ingeniously  concealed  that  days  might  have  been 
spent  in  fruitless  search  for  it,  even  after  its  exist 
ence  was  known,  and  it  extended  under  the  gardens 
to  the  river,  a  hundred  yards  away. 

Nelita  only  accompanied  him  to  its  entrance,  for 
she  had  been  bidden  to  return  with  all  haste,  in 
order  that  she  might  not  be  missed  from  the  house 
hold  when  Bowie  should  admit  the  soldiers.  Rex 
would  gladly  have  talked  longer  with  her,  but  he 
too  had  urgent  cause  for  haste.  So  after  a  few 
words  of  instruction  concerning  the  passage,  and  a 
warm  handclasp  between  the  two,  he  entered  the 


68  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

absolute  blackness  of  the  narrow  tunnel,  and  Nelita 
closed  its  door  behind  him. 

The  place  in  which  our  lad  now  found  himself  was 
so  low  that  he  could  not  stand  upright,  but  was,  at 
the  same  time,  so  free  from  obstructions  that  even 
in  a  stooping  posture  he  advanced  rapidly  until 
brought  to  a  sudden  stand  by  an  angry  snarl  from 
close  at  hand.  Instantly  the  boy  was  bathed  in 
perspiration,  and  found  himself  trembling  violently, 
but  in  a  moment  his  courage  returned.  He  knew 
that  he  could  not  retreat,  and  so  must  advance  in 
spite  of  whatever  danger  opposed  him.  Thus  think 
ing,  he  drew  his  hunting-knife  and,  holding  it  well 
to  the  front,  sprang  forward,  at  the  same  time  utter 
ing  a  shout.  A  scamper  of  soft  footfalls  proclaimed 
a  retreat  of  the  beast  that  had  protested  against  his 
presence,  and  in  another  minute  he  had  emerged 
from  the  stifling  passage  into  a  dense  thicket  be 
neath  a  slightly  overhanging  bank  of  the  river. 

The  darkness  of  the  outer  world  seemed  almost 
daylight  compared  with  that  from  which  he  had 
just  come,  and  he  experienced  little  difficulty  in  mak 
ing  his  way  along  the  stream  to  where  it  turned 
sharply  eastward.  Here  he  knew  that  in  order  to 
save  precious  time  he  must  cut  across  the  great  bend, 
and  pass  through  that  part  of  the  town  lying  in  its 
mouth.  He  dreaded  to  attempt  this,  but  only  hesi 
tated  long  enough  to  raise  himself  cautiously  above 
the  bank  and  make  a  careful  survey  of  his  surround- 


BENEATH   THE   VERAMENDI   GARDENS  59 

ings.  As  he  could  neither  see  nor  hear  anything  to 
alarm  him,  he  started  down  a  narrow  lane  and  nearly 
reached  the  opposite  arm  of  the  bend  without  meet 
ing  a  soul. 

Then  he  ran  plump  into  a  soldier,  and  for  a 
moment  believed  that  he  must  either  submit  to 
arrest  or  fight  for  his  liberty ;  but  fortunately  for 
him  the  soldier  was  so  full  of  pulque  as  to  be  maud 
lin.  He  apologized  profusely  for  having  collided 
with  his  dear  friend,  and  insisted  that  Rex  should 
take  a  drink  with  him  in  token  of  forgiveness.  The 
lad  attempted  to  shake  him  off  ;  but  the  fellow  clung 
to  him  so  persistently  and  claimed  his  friendship  so 
loudly  that  in  desperation  Rex  knocked  him  down 
with  a  well-placed  blow,  and  dashed  away,  leaving 
the  soldier  to  alarm  the  neighborhood  with  his  cries. 

By  the  time  the  young  fugitive  reached  his  canoe 
many  persons  were  running  hither  and  thither  with 
excited  inquiries  as  to  what  had  happened,  but  none 
of  them  discovered  him,  and  he  was  allowed  to  shove 
off  without  molestation.  By  the  time  he  gained  the 
opposite  bank  he  was  half  a  mile  below  the  house  of 
Peralta,  and  careless  of  what  became  of  the  canoe,  he 
hastened  towards  it  with  all  speed. 

As  he  drew  near  to  the  pulqueria,  he  became  aware 
of  a  great  splashing  in  the  water  of  the  ford,  and  the 
sound  of  many  voices  mingled  with  the  rattle  of  arms 
and  a  tramp  of  horses.  With  a  sinking  heart  he  real 
ized  that  Castonado's  troops  were  already  crossing 


60  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

the  river,  and  that  many  of  them  were  now  gathered 
at  the  very  place  where  he  had  left  his  horse. 

Creeping  as  close  to  them  as  he  dared,  he  crouched 
behind  a  tree  and  anxiously  awaited  developments. 
It  was  evident  that  Peralta  was  doing  a  rushing 
business  with  the  troopers,  who  waited  to  see  their 
wagons  safely  across  the  river  before  resuming  their 
march.  Many  horses  were  fastened  to  trees  and 
fences  while  their  owners  made  merry  in  the  pul- 
queria.  Bitterly  as  Rex  would  regret  the  leaving 
of  Tawny  behind,  he  wondered  if  he  could  not 
secure  one  of  these  animals,  and  dash  away  with 
out  running  any  risk  save  that  of  a  few  scattering 
shots  !  Upon  him  depended  the  safety  of  the  dear 
ones  at  home,  and  every  minute  was  of  the  ut 
most  value.  Yes,  he  must  secure  a  horse  at  any 
cost,  though  to  recover  Tawny  seemed  out  of  the 
question. 

Thus  thinking,  Rex  slipped  from  his  hiding-place 
and  had  started  towards  the  nearest  group  of 
tethered  animals,  when  his  steps  were  abruptly 
arrested  by  a  great  outcry  from  a  score  of  voices 
and  the  sounds  of  a  fierce  struggle  in  the  vicinity 
of  Peralta's  little  stable.  Amid  the  general  uproar 
he  heard  shouts  of  "El  Diablo!  El  Diablo!" 
Then  came  shrill  screams  followed  by  the  rushing 
gallop  of  a  horse,  and  Rex  instinctively  knew  that 
his  Tawny  had  fought  with  the  enemies  of  Texas 
and  won  the  first  battle  for  liberty. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

TAWNY   BEGINS   THE   WAR 

As  the  sound  of  galloping  hoofs  died  away  in  the 
distance,  sharp  words  of  command  were  issued  by  the 
Mexican  officers,  the  men  sprang  to  their  tethered 
horses,  and  with  a  heavy  heart,  Rex  knew  that  his 
chance  for  securing  one  of  these  had  vanished.  For 
a  moment  he  stood  irresolute,  and  then,  moved  by  a 
sudden  impulse  he  slipped  softly  away.  Reaching 
a  safe  distance  he  began  to  run  at  the  top  of  his 
speed  in  the  direction  taken  by  Tawny,  which  fortu 
nately  was  also  the  direction  of  the  Gonzales  road. 

He  did  not  of  course  expect  to  run  the  whole 
twenty  miles  to  his  home,  nor  even,  while  on  foot,  to 
outstrip  the  horsemen  who  would  follow  closely 
after  him,  but  he  did  hope  to  find  a  horse  some 
where.  He  felt  keenly  the  loss  of  Tawny,  and  won 
dered  if  he  should  ever  see  him  again.  To  be  sure, 
it  was  possible  that  the  horse  might  make  his  way 
back  to  the  ranch  ;  but  Rex  feared  he  would  not 
do  so  until  after  it  had  been  abandoned.  Then  he 
would  fall  into  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
mere  thought  of  such  a  fate  for  his  beautiful  horse 
made  the  lad  hot  with  anger.  He  hoped  the  sol- 

61 


62  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

diers  had  not  known  whose  horse  they  had  found 
in  Manuel  Peralta's  stable,  and  that  by  leaving  him 
there  he  had  not  brought  trouble  upon  the  crippled 
zapatero.  If  he  had  been  aware  of  the  real  facts 
in  the  case,  he  would  not  have  been  thus  worried. 

Little  'Rillo  had  not  betrayed  his  friend's  secret, 
but  it  was  discovered  by  Domingo,  late  vaquero  on 
the  Rancho  Herrera,  now  a  soldier  in  the  troop  of 
Castonado.  This  man,  who  was  a  noted  cock-fighter, 
had  been  delighted  to  discover  at  Peralta's  pulqueria 
a  chicken  of  the  famous  Herrera  breed,  and  had  con 
sented  to  handle  it  during  the  forthcoming  battle. 
Of  course,  when  he  was  ordered  out  with  his  troop, 
the  cock  fight  must  be  postponed.  When  Castonado 
halted  his  men  at  the  ford,  Domingo  paid  a  visit  to 
El  Bravo  in  company  with  Peralta,  to  examine  into 
his  condition  and  decide  upon  a  change  of  diet. 

As  these  two  entered  the  little  stable,  they  were 
amazed  to  find  it  occupied  and  nearly  filled  by  a 
horse  in  place  of  the  donkey  for  which  it  had  been 
built.  Hastily  procuring  a  light  with  which  to 
view  this  unexpected  tenant,  Domingo  recognized 
him  at  once  as  the  redoubtable  Herrera  stallion  that 
had  so  often  defied  him,  and  had  finally  driven  him 
from  the  ranch. 

"  Peste!  "  he  exclaimed.  "  The  young  gringo  who 
claims  to  have  captured  this  beast,  and  to  be  a  better 
rider  than  any  vaquero  in  Texas,  must  have  come  to 
this  place.  Doubtless  he  is  sent  to  spy  out  and  give 


TAWNY  BEGINS  THE   WAR  63 

warning  of  the  very  expedition  on  which  we  are  en 
gaged.  Perchance  thou  hast  him  hid,  friend  Peralta,* 
and  so  are  in  a  fair  way  to  be  shot  for  sheltering 
this  spawn  of  rebels." 

"  I  have  not !  Indeed  I  have  not !  "  protested  the 
other,  trembling  with  fright  at  this  suggestion. 
"  I  know  nothing  of  him  !  And  how  this  brute  of 
a  horse  came  into  my  stable  I  have  no  knowledge." 

"  The  youth  has  then  had  the  assurance  to  place 
his  vile  horse  here  without  thy  permission,  and  so  to 
endanger  thy  life,  relying  for  thy  forbearance  upon 
thy  great  love  for  his  father  ?  " 

44  But  of  that  I  have  none.  His  father,  the  tyrant 
Harden,  pesters  me  continually  for  a  few  wretched 
pesos  that  he  owed  me  for  long  service,  but  which 
he  claims  to  have  advanced  as  a  loan.  Bah  !  I  hate 
him  and  spit  upon  him!  " 

44  If  he  owes  thee  money,  let  us  take  this  horse  and 
sell  him.  In  any  case,  as  the  property  of  a  rebel,  he 
is  our  lawful  spoil,  and  may  we  not  do  as  we  please 
with  our  own  ?  El  Capitan  Castonado  will  gladly 
buy  him,  for  he  is  very  wealthy,  and  every  month  he 
kills  a  horse.  So  I  have  heard  him  boast,  and  also 
do  I  know  that  he  is  not  pleased  with  his  present 
mount.  If  it  is  hinted  that  one  must  needs  be  a 
perfect  horseman  to  ride  this  diablo,  then  will  El 
Capitan  be  eager  to  purchase  him,  for  he  boasts  that 
he  can  unaided  break  the  heart  of  any  horse  that 
lives.  Within  one  month  then  will  this  brute  be 


64  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

dead,  for  the  noble  Castonado  finds  the  same  pleasure 
in  killing  horses  that  a  more  soft-hearted  person 
does  in  the  death  of  bulls." 

As  Peralta  readily  agreed  to  this  scheme,  Domingo 
informed  the  sergeant  of  his  troop  that  the  pulquero 
had  in  his  stable  the  finest  horse  in  all  Texas,  one  of 
the  famous  Herrera  breed.  It  had  been  given  him  in 
payment  for  services ;  but  as  the  animal  was  much 
too  spirited  for  him  to  ride,  he  would  sell  it  for  a 
very  small  sum.  Did  not  his  excellency,  the  ser 
geant,  think  that  El  Capitan  Castonado  would  be 
pleased  to  hear  of  such  a  bargain  in  horseflesh  ?  " 

His  excellency  the  sergeant  did  think  so,  and  ac 
cordingly  reported  what  he  had  heard  to  a  lieuten 
ant.  He,  in  turn,  ventured  to  tell  the  captain  of  the 
wonderful  horse  just  discovered  that  no  one  could 
ride,  and  which  might  in  consequence  be  bought  for 
a  song. 

Upon  this,  the  noble  Castonado,  declaring  that  he 
had  yet  to  meet  the  horse  he  could  not  ride,  started 
towards  the  little  stable  in  which  Tawny  was  chaf 
ing  at  his  unusual  confinement.  He  was  followed 
by  the  lieutenant,  the  sergeant,  Domingo,  Peralta, 
and  a  score  of  eager  soldiers,  several  of  whom  bore 
torches. 

"  Bring  him  forth,"  commanded  El  Capitan,  and 
Domingo  with  half  a  dozen  others  sprang  to  obey  the 
order. 

The  horse  showed  such  docility  in  allowing  them 


TAWNY  BEGINS  THE   WAR  66 

to  back  him  from  the  stable,  that  the  spectators  de 
clared  him  to  be  of  coward  blood  and  an  animal  of 
no  spirit.  As  if  understanding  and  resenting  this 
imputation,  Tawny  was  no  sooner  clear  of  the  door 
way  than  he  turned  upon  them  with  all  the  concen 
trated  fury  of  his  wild  nature.  Within  two  seconds 
his  gleaming  teeth  and  flying  heels  had  cleared  a 
wide  circle  about  him,  and  Domingo,  clinging  dog 
gedly  to  his  bridle,  had  been  seized  in  the  powerful 
jaws,  shaken,  and  flung  aside  as  a  terrier  flings  a  rat. 

Then,  with  a  rush  that  knocked  down  the  great 
Castonado  himself,  besides  the  lieutenant  and  sergeant 
and  several  others  of  minor  importance,  the  mighty 
horse  sprang  into  the  darkness  and  disappeared. 
As  the  discomfited  captain  stiffly  regained  his  feet,  he 
swore  with  fierce  oaths  that  he  believed  this  to  be  a 
plot  of  the  devilish  Texans  to  kill  him,  and  that  all 
who  had  been  implicated  in  it  should  be  sweetly  pun 
ished  upon  his  return  from  chastising  the  rebels. 
Then  ordering  that  his  command  instantly  take  the 
road,  he  sulkily  mounted  a  horse  that  would  allow 
himself  to  be  abused  or  even  killed  at  the  will  of  his 
cruel  master. 

In  the  meantime,  Rex  Harden,  running  along  the 
eastern  road,  reached  a  point  two-thirds  of  the  way 
to  the  garita  without  incident.  Then  he  was  startled 
by  seeing  what  he  believed  to  be  a  horseman  loom 
ing  above  a  slight  rise  of  ground  before  him.  Halt 
ing,  and  ready  for  a  dash  to  one  side  in  case  his 


66  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

liberty  should  be  threatened,  he  watched  closely  to 
see  whether  the  suspicious  figure  were  coining  or 
going.  After  a  moment  he  decided  that  it  was  not 
doing  either,  but  was  standing  with  its  head  to  the 
ground.  A  great  hope  sprang  into  the  boy's  breast. 
Could  it  be  Tawny  cropping  the  wayside  grass  ? 

Softly  he  breathed  the  whistle  signal,  the  meaning 
of  which  was  understood  by  his  beloved  horse  alone. 
At  its  sound  the  animal  lifted  his  head  and  listened. 
A  repetition  of  the  signal  was  answered  by  a  whinny 
of  recognition.  One  minute  later  Rex,  his  heart 
overflowing  with  gratitude,  was  seated  on  Tawny's 
back,  and  the  reunited  friends  were  speeding  joyously 
eastward. 

As  our  young  rider  knew  nothing  of  the  guard 
stationed  at  the  garita,  he  was  unprepared  for  the 
stern  challenge  of  "  Quien  va  !  "  that  greeted  him  as 
he  approached  it.  Instantly  appreciating  the  situa 
tion,  however,  he  lay  flat  on  Tawny's  neck,  urged  him 
to  increased  speed,  and  dashed  like  a  thunderbolt 
past  the  block-house.  The  angry  roar  of  a  musket 
greeted  this  defiance  of  authority,  and  a  bullet  whizzed 
spitefully  after  him.  It  did  no  harm,  and  Rex  was 
rapidly  becoming  so  used  to  being  under  fire,  that  he 
only  laughed  at  this  fruitless  attempt  to  stop  a  pair 
of  Texas  rebels  who  had  made  up  their  minds  to  go 
ahead. 

At  the  same  moment  a  greater  anxiety  than  that 
attending  a  mere  musket  shot  was  caused  by  the 


TAWNY  BEGINS  THE   WAR  67 

clear  notes  of  a  trumpet  borne  faintly  to  him  on  the 
heavy  night  air  from  the  direction  of  the  ford.  At 
sound  of  this  ominous  warning  the  lad  bent  low  and 
whispered  to  his  flying  steed  that  for  many  miles 
their  headlong  speed  must  not  be  slackened. 

Twice  during  the  next  hour  did  the  young  rider 
make  slight  detours  from  his  road  to  warn  American 
settlers  of  Castonado's  coming  with  orders  for  their 
forcible  disarming.  At  these  places,  while  his  foam- 
flecked  horse  was  rubbed  down  by  willing  hands  and 
given  a  mouthful  of  water,  Rex  was  surrounded  by 
groups  of  resolute  men,  pale-faced  women,  and  ex 
cited  children,  who  heard  his  news  with  breathless 
interest.  By  these  it  was  certain  to  be  spread,  and 
in  each  case  he  left  the  little  communities  making 
hasty  preparations  for  a  flight  to  the  eastward. 

It  was  midnight  when  Tawny's  flying  hoof-beats, 
his  rider's  shouts,  and  a  joyous  barking  of  dogs 
roused  the  inmates  of  the  Rancho  Herrera,  and 
brought  them  to  door  and  window.  As  Rex  flung 
himself  to  the  porch,  a  figure  appeared  in  the  hall 
way,  and  Squire  Harden's  voice  demanded  : 

"  Who's  there  ?  " 

"  It  is  I,  father,  and  a  Mexican  army  is  on  its  way 
to  arrest  you." 

"  Thank  Heaven,  son,  that  you  are  safe  !  "  cried 
the  squire.  "  I  feared  worse  news.  But  why  need 
they  send  an  army  to  arrest  a  single  man  ?  " 

"  It  is  also  sent  to  capture  the  field-piece  at  Gon- 


68  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

zales  and  to  disarm  all  Americans  whom  they  can 
find." 

"  It  will  take  an  army  to  do  those  things,"  replied 
the  squire,  grimly,  and,  Mrs.  Harden  now  appearing 
with  a  light,  Rex  saw  that  his  father,  supported  by 
his  crutches,  held  a  pistol  in  each  hand. 

"  How  far  behind  you  are  they  ?  " 

"  An  hour,  at  least,  —  probably  more  ;  for  Tawny 
has  brought  me  like  the  wind." 

"  You  have  done  well,  son,  and  gained  for  us 
plenty  of  time." 

"I  am  also  charged  to  warn  Gonzales,  and  all 
between  here  and  there." 

"  It  is  a  noble  errand,  and  we  will  go  with  you  ; 
but  to  accomplish  it,  both  you  and  Tawny  must  have 
rest  and  refreshment." 

Turning  to  the  two  American  overseers  of  the 
ranch,  who  slept  in  the  great  house  and  had  appeared 
in  the  lower  hall,  fully  armed,  at  the  first  alarm,  the 
squire  added : 

"  Tom,  take  the  fleetest  horse  in  the  corral  and 
scout  along  the  San  Antonio  road  until  you  sight 
this  Mexican  advance.  Then  fly  back  with  all 
speed.  If  we  have  left,  follow  us  to  Gonzales. 
Richards,  harness  four  mules  to  the  light  wagon, 
saddle  the  two  best  horses  you  can  find,  and  have  all 
in  readiness  at  this  door  within  half  an  hour.  You, 
Rex,  must  first  care  for  Tawny,  and  then  come  to 
the  house  for  refreshment.  Wife,  do  you  and  Mabel 


TAWNY  BEGINS  THE   WAR  69 

collect  such  things  as  are  necessary  to  your  comfort 
on  a  long  journey,  but  not  to  exceed  a  single  trunk- 
ful.  In  less  than  an  hour  from  now  we  must  be 
off  ;  and  remember,  all  of  you,  not  one  word  of  this 
news  to  a  single  Mexican  on  the  place." 


CHAPTER   IX 

MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT   OF   THE   SETTLERS 

WITH  each  person  performing  an  allotted  task 
the  preparations  for  flight  proceeded  so  rapidly  that 
within  the  appointed  time  all  was  in  readiness  for  an 
abandonment  of  the  ranch.  The  covered  wagon, 
with  four  fleet-footed  mules  attached,  was  drawn 
up  before  the  porch.  In  it  were  stored  two  mat 
tresses,  together  with  blankets  and  pillows,  a  trunk, 
provisions,  everything  in  the  way  of  arms  and  am 
munition  that  the  house  afforded,  and  Aunty  Day. 

On  the  front  seat  were  Mabel  and  her  mother, 
both  of  whom  were  expert  handlers  of  reins,  and  who 
were  to  take  turns  at  driving.  Squire  Harden  and 
his  man  Richards,  armed  with  rifles  and  pistols,  were 
to  ride  beside  it.  Rex,  also  armed  and  mounted  on 
Tawny,  was  to  ride  ahead  with  all  speed,  carrying 
the  alarm  to  settlers  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Guada- 
lupe  and  into  Gonzales.  Already  had  two  parties  of 
fugitives  passed  the  ranch,  but  they  had  not  halted, 
for  the  squire  had  shouted  that  he  would  shortly 
overtake  them. 

As  the  Hardens  were  bidding  a  sad  farewell  to 
the  home  they  loved  so  dearly,  and  which  they  feared 

70 


MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT  OF  THE  SETTLERS  71 

they  might  never  see  again,  there  came  a  clatter  of 
hoofs,  and  the  scout  who  had  been  sent  back  along 
the  road  dashed  up  to  the  wagon.  He  brought  the 
startling  intelligence  that  the  Mexican  advance  was 
pressing  forward  so  rapidly  as  to  be  already  within 
a  mile  of  that  place,  and  liable  to  appear  at  any 
moment. 

44  Let  them  come  I  "  cried  the  squire,  with  assumed 
cheerfulness ;  "  they  will  find  the  nest  deserted  and 
the  birds  flown." 

In  another  minute  the  light  wagon  was  spinning 
along  the  Gonzales  road  with  its  nimble-footed 
mules  on  a  run,  while  Rex  and  Tawny  were  speed 
ing  eastward  like  the  wind  nearly  a  mile  in  advance. 

Despite  the  precautions  taken  to  keep  the  news 
of  the  night  from  the  Mexican  peons,  it  had  spread 
to  all  quarters  of  the  ranch,  and,  as  the  Hardens 
began  their  flight,  a  dark  group  of  blanketed  fig 
ures,  gathered  close  to  the  walls  of  the  house,  sul 
lenly  watched  their  departure.  Then  they  rushed 
into  it,  with  the  hope  of  plunder,  and  began  to 
batter  down  the  heavy  doors  of  the  several  rooms. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  but  before  they 
had  effected  an  entrance,  a  squad  of  a  dozen  cav 
alrymen,  swarthy  as  themselves,  appeared  on  the 
scene  and  drove  them  from  their  work.  It  was 
the  Mexican  advance  led  by  Castonado  himself,  and 
he  was  furious  at  the  discovery  that  his  expected 
prisoner  had  made  good  his  escape.  How  a  warn- 


72  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

ing  had  been  conveyed  to  him,  the  Mexican  captain 
could  not  imagine  ;  for,  so  far  as  he  knew,  only  a 
riderless  horse  had  left  San  Antonio  in  advance  of 
him  and  passed  the  garita  that  night. 

When  he  learned  from  the  peons  that  Rex  Harden, 
mounted  on  that  same  horse,  had  reached  the  ranch 
an  hour  before,  he  was  more  puzzled  than  ever,  but 
he  did  not  waste  time  in  seeking  to  solve  the 
mystery.  As  the  fugitives  had  only  a  few  minutes' 
start  of  him,  and  were  encumbered  by  a  wagon, 
they  might  still  be  within  his  reach.  So,  leaving  a 
couple  of  soldiers  to  guard  the  house,  which,  with 
its  broad  estate,  he  had  long  coveted,  and  which 
he  now  believed  might  soon  become  his  own,  El 
Capitan  Castonado  again  set  forth  on  his  pursuit 
of  the  hated  Americans. 

An  hour  later  the  Harden  party  had  just  over 
taken  another  wagon-load  of  fugitives  guarded  by 
two  horsemen,  when  the  squire,  who  with  senses 
keenly  alert  brought  up  the  rear,  detected  the  beat 
of  galloping  hoofs  on  the  road  behind  him.  The 
pursuit  had  been  hotter  than  he  anticipated,  and  he 
realized  that  the  time  for  desperate  measures  had 
arrived.  Spurring  to  the  front,  he  urged  on  the 
mules  to  greater  speed,  and,  as  the  wagons  bounded 
forward,  he  hastily  explained  his  plan  to  the  four 
men  who  guarded  them.  His  own  team  could 
easily  have  outstripped  the  other,  but  the  thought 
of  allowing  such  a  thing  never  entered  the  mind 


MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT  OF  THE   SETTLERS  73 

of  the  brave  Kentuckian.  To  him  the  fate  of  one 
must  be  the  fate  of  all,  and  the  speed  of  both 
wagons  must  be  regulated  by  that  of  the  slowest 
mule  in  the  two  teams.  When  the  squire  saw  that 
every  animal  was  doing  its  utmost,  he  dropped  be 
hind  the  rear  wagon,  and  the  other  men  followed 
him. 

Ranging  themselves  in  a  line  across  the  road,  they 
cocked  their  rifles  and  waited.  They  were  barely 
in  position  before  they  heard  the  sound  of  gallop 
ing  horses,  and  a  minute  later  they  could  distinguish 
through  the  darkness  a  still  darker  mass  rushing 
towards  them. 

"  Aim  low,  men,"  ordered  Squire  Harden.  "  Ready ! 
Fire  ! " 

The  five  rifles  spoke  as  one.  Five  jets  of  flame 
leaped  forth,  and  two  of  the  oncoming  horses  plunged 
heavily  forward,  flinging  their  riders  to  the  ground 
far  beyond  them.  Others  were  wounded,  and  the 
whole  Mexican  squad  was  thrown  into  such  dire 
confusion  by  the  unexpectedness  of  the  attack,  that 
half  of  them  turned  and  fled  without  waiting  to  dis 
cover  their  enemies'  strength.  Being  thus  deserted, 
Castonado,  with  the  three  or  four  who  remained 
firm,  deemed  it  wiser  to  retire  from  the  field  rather 
than  risk  a  further  encounter  with  an  unknown 
force. 

Thus  was  danger  averted  from  the  fugitives  for  a 
time;  and  when  the  defenders  of  the  wagons  again 


74  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

overtook  them,  they  were  confident  that  present 
pursuit  was  given  over.  In  this  belief  a  halt  was 
called,  and  the  jaded  mules,  which  had  been  driven 
for  fifteen  miles  at  their  utmost  speed,  were  given 
an  hour's  rest  by  the  roadside. 

Although  it  is  doubtful  if  the  exhausted  animals 
could  have  continued  their  flight  much  longer  with 
out  this  breathing-spell,  it  came  very  near  to  result 
ing  in  disaster.  About  daybreak,  shortly  after  they 
were  once  more  on  the  road,  a  picket  who  had  been 
left  behind  came  in  with  tidings  that  the  Mexicans 
were  again  on  their  trail. 

This  was  only  too  true  ;  for  Castonado,  reenforced 
by  a  number  of  his  troopers  whose  inferior  mounts 
had  caused  them  to  drop  behind,  and  having  ob 
tained  fresh  horses  from  a  deserted  ranch,  had 
determined  to  make  one  more  effort  to  capture  the 
fugitives. 

So  the  mules  were  once  more  lashed  into  a  run, 
and  the  fierce  race  for  liberty  was  resumed.  With 
increasing  daylight  the  occupants  of  the  wagons 
could  look  back  and  see  their  pursuers  topping 
some  distant  rise  of  the  road  or  disappearing  in 
a  hollow.  Each  time  as  they  came  into  view,  they 
were  plainly  nearer  than  before,  and  after  a  time 
their  exulting  shouts  could  be  clearly  heard.  Now, 
too,  the  speed  of  the  mules  began  visibly  to  slacken ; 
they  no  longer  sprang  forward  at  the  sting  of  the 
lash,  and  it  was  evident  that  they  had  come  to 


MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT   OF  THE   SETTLERS  75 

the  end  of  their  strength.  In  a  few  minutes  more 
the  race  must  end. 

But  it  must  not  end  with  the  tame  surrender  of 
cowards  ;  and  although  the  Mexicans  outnumbered 
the  defenders  of  the  wagons  by  three  to  one,  the  lat 
ter  determined  to  make  one  more  attempt  at  driving 
them  off.  So  with  a  brave  show  of  confidence  that 
he  did  not  feel  Squire  Harden  urged  his  horse  to  the 
side  of  the  flying  wagon,  and  shouted,  "  Hold  out  a 
a  little  longer,  wife,  while  we  drop  back  again  and 
teach  those  fellows  another  lesson.  Good-by  !  " 

"  Wait,  father  !  Wait  a  moment !  "  screamed  Ma 
bel.  "  Look  there  !  " 

The  excited  girl  was  standing  up  clinging  with 
one  hand  to  the  swaying  wagon  top  and  pointing 
with  the  other  in  the  direction  they  were  going. 

In  the  glory  of  the  rising  sun  a  cloud  of  dust  rose 
on  the  keen  morning  air.  In  it  were  moving  figures 
that  momentarily  grew  more  distinct. 

4 'Hurrah!"  shouted  Squire  Harden.  "Anda, 
mula  !  Anda !  One  more  effort,  boys,  and  we  are 
saved.  Only  friends  can  come  from  that  direc 
tion." 

And  so  it  proved  ;  for  out  of  the  golden  dust 
cloud  came  a  dozen  hard-riding  Texans,  waving  their 
rifles,  yelling  like  wild  Indians,  and  led  by  a  slender 
lad  on  a  magnificent  chestnut  horse,  who  set  the 
headlong  pace  as  easily  as  though  he  were  fresh  from 
a  night  of  rest. 


76  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Rex  had  ridden  to  the  Guadalupe,  carried  his  warn 
ing  to  the  settlers  on  the  bank,  sent  a  message  across 
to  Gonzales,  and  then  turned  back  to  meet  the  fu^i- 

CD 

tives  from  the  Cibolo,  accompanied  by  a  squad  of 
eager  volunteers,  whose  numbers  were  increased  as 
they  advanced. 

The  new-comers  opened  their  ranks  with  a  ringing 
cheer  to  allow  the  wagons  passage,  and  then  ree'n- 
forced  by  five  more  men,  closed  again  for  a  charge 
upon  those  who  had  maintained  their  relentless  pur 
suit  through  the  night.  But  the  Mexicans  did  not 
await  their  onset.  Warned  by  the  Texan  shouts, 
they  had  already  drawn  rein,  and  as  the  wild  riders 
swept  into  view  from  beyond  the  wagons,  Castonado 
with  his  troopers  turned  and  fled  like  leaves  before 
an  autumn  gale. 

For  a  mile  the  Texans  followed  them,  firing  an 
occasional  rifle  shot  to  accelerate  their  speed.  Then 
they  clattered  happily  back  to  where  the  women 
had  halted  their  wagons  by  the  roadside,  and  were 
already  preparing  a  breakfast  for  the  heroes  of  this 
glorious  though  bloodless  victory. 

How  light-hearted  every  one  was,  now  that  the  terri 
ble  strain  of  the  night  was  relaxed,  and  what  a  joyous 
meal  they  made  of  that  rude  camp  breakfast !  How 
they  all  talked  and  laughed  at  the  same  time  !  How 
the  women  were  complimented  on  their  pluck,  and  the 
men  for  their  bravery !  Squire  Harden  tried  in  vain 
to  express  his  gratitude  to  the  new-comers  for  the 


MIDNIGHT  FLIGHT   OF   THE   SETTLERS  77 

promptness  of  their  aid  ;  but  they  interrupted  him 
with  shouts  of  : 

"  That's  all  right,  squire.  We'd  been  worse  than 
greasers  if  we  hadn't  come,  seeing  that  you  had 
weakened  your  own  fighting  force  by  sending  your 
son  to  warn  us  of  danger." 

"  All  the  same,  men,"  insisted  the  squire,  "  I  do 
thank  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  And,  Rex, 
I  am  more  than  proud  of  you  for  this  night's  work." 

"  It  was  Tawny's  work,  father,  more  than  mine  ; 
for  I  don't  believe  there  is  another  horse  in  Texas 
that  could  have  done  what  he  has  since  leaving  San 
Antonio  last  evening." 

"  No,  son,"  admitted  the  squire  ;  "  I  don't  believe 
there  is."  And  to  this  opinion  every  man  present 
agreed. 

Before  noon  of  that  day  every  American  settler  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Guadalupe  had  been  ferried  safely 
across  to  Gonzales,  and  every  boat  had  been  removed 
to  that  side  of  the  river.  Already  were  messengers, 
mounted  on  fleet  horses,  speeding  eastward  with  the 
news  of  Castonado's  advance,  and  bearing  appeals 
for  aid  in  repelling  it. 

With  the  departure  of  these,  less  than  a  score  of 
fighting  men  were  left  in  the  village.  But  this 
handful  calmly  awaited  the  Mexican  approach,  confi 
dent  that  their  rifles  could  hold  the  crossing  against 
Castonado's  swarthy  troopers  until  the  aid  for  which 
they  had  sent  could  arrive. 


CHAPTER   X 

ORGANIZING  THE  FIRST   TEXAS   ARMY 

ACCORDING  to  Castonado's  orders,  the  main  body 
of  his  little  army  had  halted  at  the  Rancho  Herrera. 
To  that  place,  therefore,  after  failing  to  disarm  a 
single  American,  or  to  capture  the  man  who  was  re 
garded  as  the  most  pernicious  rebel  of  that  district, 
the  Mexican  leader  retired  to  await  further  instruc 
tions  from  the  Commandant  at  San  Antonio.  Thus 
were  our  fugitives  given  a  day  and  a  half  of  rest  in 
Gonzales  before  any  further  move  was  made  against 
them. 

Squire  Harden  had  intended  to  push  on  to  San 
Felipe  on  the  Brazos,  a  hundred  miles  farther  to  the 
eastward  ;  but  now  he  could  not  leave  a  point  at 
which  every  Texas  rifle  was  of  such  infinite  value, 
and  so  he  determined  to  remain  at  Gonzales  until  the 
present  crisis  should  be  past.  Having  thus  decided, 
he  pitched  a  tent  on  the  river  bank,  and  it  at  once 
became  a  headquarters  to  which  persons  of  all  condi 
tions  flocked  for  advice  or  assistance. 

Rex  with  half  a  dozen  of  the  younger  men  con 
stituted  themselves  a  picket  guard  to  watch  the  ford 

78 


ORGANIZING  THE   FIRST   TEXAS  ARMY  79 

half  a  mile  down  the  river  ;  and,  as  his  comrades 
jokingly  called  our  lad  "  Corporal  of  the  Guard,"  he 
was  soon  known  011  all  sides  as  "Corporal  Rex." 
Feeling  that  in  this  exalted  position  he  ought  to 
wear  some  distinguishing  badge  of  office,  he  asked 
Mabel  if  she  could  not  suggest  and  make  him  one. 
Gladly  accepting  this  task,  the  quick-witted  girl 
promised  to  comply  with  his  request ;  and,  while  he 
slept  in  the  wagon  after  a  night  of  watching,  she 
smuggled  his  hat  into  the  tent  and  busied  herself 
with  it  for  several  hours. 

When  Rex  awoke,  the  hat  lay  beside  him  and  was 
the  first  object  to  catch  his  eye.  He  gazed  at  it  for 
a  moment  in  perplexity,  and  then,  seizing  it,  he 
sprang  from  the  wagon  with  a  shout.  On  its  front 
was  embroidered  a  tiny  blue  flag  in  which  was  cen 
tred  a  white  five-pointed  star. 

"  The  star  on  Tawny's  forehead  suggested  it," 
said  Mabel ,  who  was  watching  to  note  how  he  liked 
it. 

"  It's  the  very  thing,"  cried  Rex,  "  and  you  are  a 
perfect  trump  to  have  thought  of  it.  Hurrah,  for 
the  lone-star  flag  of  Texas  !  " 

Then,  giving  his  sister  a  kiss  and  a  hug,  the  young 
corporal  set  forth  to  display  through  the  village  his 
newly  acquired  insignia  of  rank.  But  he  was  not 
long  allowed  to  be  the  sole  bearer  of  the  lone-star 
flag  ;  for  the  device  caught  like  wild-fire,  and  every 
one  vho  saw  it  instantly  desired  to  wear  this  first 


80  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

distinctive  emblem  of  Texas.  Already  was  Mabel 
busily  at  work  on  one  for  her  father,  and  within  half 
an  hour  every  needlewoman  in  Gonzales  was  either 
embroidering  little  lone-star  flags  or  making  them 
from  bits  of  blue  silk. 

Texas  had  riot  yet  achieved  her  independence  nor 
even  declared  it.  In  fact,  her  people  still  regarded 
themselves  as  loyal  citizens  of  Mexico,  and  were  only 
intent  upon  defending  the  rights  guaranteed  them 
by  the  constitution  of  1824,  against  the  despotism  of 
an  usurper.  At  the  same  time  the  destinies  of  nations 
hang  by  such  slight  threads,  that  every  Texan  who 
accepted  and  wore  one  of  the  badges  made  that 
day  impressed  upon  his  heart  a  symbol  that  he  would 
never  relinquish  and  one  that  he  would  maintain 
through  suffering  and  disaster  even  unto  death. 
Texas  has  long  since  cast  her  fortunes  with  the  great 
sisterhood  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  but  she  still  cher 
ishes  the  lone-star  banner  as  her  state  flag,  and  no 
other  line  ever  penned  can  so  inspire  her  sons  as 
does 

"  Hurrah  for  the  Bonnie  Blue  Flag  that  bears  the  single  star  !  " 

While  the  refugees  gathered  at  Gonzales  guarded 
its  approaches,  devised  emblems  distinctive  of  their 
beloved  state,  and  waited  for  the  volunteers  who 
they  were  certain  must  be  hastening  to  their  aid, 
Castonado  had  resumed  his  line  of  march  towards 
them.  About  noon  on  Tuesday,  the  29th  of  Septem- 


ORGANIZING  THE   FIRST  TEXAS  ARMY  81 

ber,  a  scout  dashed  into  the  village  with  tidings  that 
the  enemy  was  close  at  hand.  Shortly  afterwards 
anxious  watchers  on  the  river  bank  caught  sight  of 
the  pennons,  plumes,  and  glittering  trappings  of  the 
Mexican  cavalry  as  it  advanced  through  the  open 
timber  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream  and  halted 
at  the  water's  edge. 

"  Send  over  a  boat  that  I  may  cross  and  deliver 
my  message  to  the  inhabitants  of  Gonzales,"  shouted 
Castonado,  angrily. 

"  We  will  not  put  you  to  the  inconvenience  of 
crossing,"  replied  Squire  Harden,  politely.  "  If  you 
will  speak  your  message  from  where  you  stand,  we 
shall  hear  it  the  more  quickly." 

"  I  do  not  choose  to  hold  converse  with  rebels,  but 
demand  speech  with  the  alcalde,"  retorted  Casto-' 
nado. 

44  Unfortunately  he  is  absent,  and  may  not  return 
until  night." 

"Then  in  the  name  of  His  Excellency,  General 
Santa  Anna,  President  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico, 
whom  the  people  of  the  state  of  Texas  are  sworn  to 
obey,  I  demand  that  the  men  of  Gonzales  relinquish 
to  me  the  brass  field-piece  loaned  them  by  the  mili 
tary  governor  of  San  Antonio  de  Bexar,  but  now 
needed  on  the  fortifications  of  that  place.  If  it 
be  not  delivered  at  once,  I  have  authority  to  take 
it  by  force,  and  shall  do  so  regardless  of  conse- 
guences. " 


82  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

The  men  of  Gonzales  would  have  replied  to  this 
arrogant  speech  with  a  shout  of  defiance,  but  Squire 
Harden  reminded  them  that  while  they  were  but 
eighteen  against  one  hundred  and  sixty,  discretion 
was,  for  the  moment,  the  better  part  of  valor.  Then 
he  politely  informed  the  Mexican  commander  that 
his  demand  should  be  considered  upon  the  return  to 
town  of  its  alcalde  ;  but  that,  without  his  sanction, 
the  citizens  of  Gonzales  were  powerless  to  take  action 
in  so  important  a  matter. 

With  this,  Castonado,  who  had  not  yet  discovered 
the  weakness  of  the  Americans,  was  forced  to  be  con 
tent,  and,  after  allowing  his  hearers  until  the  morrow 
for  a  consideration  of  his  demands,  he  retired  his 
troops  to  the  open  prairie  and  went  into  camp. 

That  night  volunteers  began  to  reach  the  scene  of 
action,  from  Bastrop  on  the  Colorado,  and  even  from 
the  distant  Brazos,  until  by  morning  the  Texan  force 
was  nearly  one  hundred  strong. 

On  the  following  day,  Castonado,  attired  in  gor 
geous  uniform,  and  escorted  by  twenty  troopers, 
again  made  his  demand  for  the  cannon,  from  across 
the  river.  This  time  those  on  the  opposite  bank 
replied  with  shouts  of  scornful  laughter,  and  bade 
him  come  and  get  the  gun,  if  he  really  wanted  it. 

At  this  the  face  of  the  Mexican  became  black  with 
rage,  and  he  at  once  despatched  a  company  of  his 
cavalry  to  the  ford.  They  were  ordered  to  take 
such  a  circuit  as  should  conceal  their  movements, 


ORGANIZING  THE   FIRST   TEXAS   ARMY  83 

until  they  were  close  to  the  river  bank,  and  then 
make  a  dash  for  the  opposite  shore.  In  the  mean 
time  he  kept  up  a  pretence  of  parleying,  and  caused 
his  escort  to  spread  out  among  the  trees,  so  as  to 
convey  the  impression  that  nearly,  if  not  quite  his 
whole  force  was  at  his  back. 

In  doing  this  he  labored  under  the  belief  that  no 
American  would  have  dared  cross  to  his  side  of  the 
river,  and  that  no  knowledge  of  his  plan  could  reach 
Gonzales.  It  was  a  sad  mistake  on  his  part,  for  Rex 
Harden,  and  Deaf  Smith  who  had  arrived  during  the 
night,  had  crossed  the  ford  before  daylight,  leaving 
their  horses  on  its  opposite  bank,  and  had  scouted 
about  the  Mexican  camp  until  they  had  mastered  its 
every  detail,  including  the  number  of  its  troops. 

They  were  still  on  hand  when  the  movement 
towards  the  ford  was  ordered;  and  the  moment  they 
were  convinced  that  those  troops  were  about  to 
attempt  the  surprise  of  that  point,  Rex  ran  to  it  with 
the  speed  of  a  deer,  waded  breast  deep  through  its 
cold  waters,  notified  the  guard  what  to  expect, 
sprang  on  Tawny's  back,  and  was  off  like  the  wind 
towards  the  village,  while  Deaf  Smith  remained  to 
watch  Castonado. 

Fortunately,  the  young  scout  found  most  of  the 
volunteers  in  their  camp,  where  they  were  gathered, 
for  an  election  of  officers.  On  receipt  of  his  news, 
this  business  was  indefinitely  postponed,  and  fifty 
men,  snatching  their  rifles,  sprang  to  their  horses, 


84  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

and,  without  waiting  to  saddle,  set  off,  at  a  break 
neck  pace,  for  the  ford.  Here  they  concealed  them 
selves  in  the  underbrush  bordering  the  trail  that  led 
to  the  water's  edge. 

Two  minutes  later  the  Mexican  cavalry  appeared 
on  the  opposite  bank,  and  seeing  nothing  to  hinder 
them,  dashed  into  the  shallow  water.  As  they  did 
so,  they  were  startled,  and  frightened  almost  out  of 
their  senses,  by  the  sudden  appearance,  only  thirty 
yards  away,  of  a  double  line  of  resolute  Texans,  each 
pointing  a  deadly  rifle  at  them. 

"  Don't  fire  unless  they  advance,"  Rex  had  pleaded 
a  moment  before.  "  War  has  not  yet  been  declared, 
you  know,  and  we  shall  have  a  better  cause  if  we  let 
them  begin  it." 

As  this  advice,  which  Rex  had  learned  from  his 
father,  was  acknowledged  to  be  good,  it  was  adopted, 
and  the  stalwart  Texans  only  levelled  their  guns  at 
the  badly  rattled  troops.  It  was  enough  ;  for  within 
one  minute  they  had  wheeled  sharply  and  were  rid 
ing  for  dear  life  up  the  bank  they  had  just  left.  As 
they  disappeared  they  were  followed  by  shout  after 
shout  of  derisive  laughter  from  the  riflemen,  who, 
without  firing  a  shot,  had  thus  gained  so  signal  a 
victory. 

When  the  last  of  Castonado's  cavalrymen  had  thus 
scampered  out  of  sight,  the  Texans  returned  leisurely 
to  their  camp  and  resumed  their  interrupted  election. 
Rex  took  an  active  interest  in  this  business  until, 


ORGANIZING  THE   FIRST  TEXAS   ARMY  85 

after  a  colonel  and  a  captain  had  been  chosen,  he 
was  covered  with  confusion  at  hearing  himself  nomi 
nated  for  the  position  of  lieutenant. 

"  Rector  Harden,"  declared  the  speaker,  "  is  not 
only  a  descendant  of  soldiers,  but  has  himself  re 
ceived  a  military  training ;  moreover,  he  has  already, 
as  we  all  know,  proved  himself  to  be  a  brave 
and  devoted  son  of  Texas.  Therefore  I  nominate 
him  for  the  vacant  lieutenancy  of  this  company." 

"Second  the  nomination!"  shouted  a  dozen 
voices. 

"You  have  heard  the  nomination,  gentlemen. 
All  in  favor  will  signify  it  in  the  usual  manner." 

"  Aye  !  "  shouted  every  man  present. 

"Contrary  minded?" 

A  dead  silence. 

"  Lieutenant  Harden,"  said  the  smiling  chairman 
of  the  meeting,  "  I  congratulate  you  on  the  unanim 
ity  of  your  election,  and  at  the  same  time  congratu 
late  the  assembled  company  upon  their  choice  of  a 
junior  officer." 

"They  couldn't  have  made  a  better,"  called  out 
a  deep  voice  from  the  outer  edge  of  the  assembly, 
"nor  one  who  will  fight  more  loyally  for  the  flag 
that  I  see  he  has  already  raised.  Let  me  in,  boys, 
that  I  may  shake  hands  with  him." 

With  this  a  big  man  forced  his  way  through  the 
crowd,  and  in  another  moment  Rex,  proudly  happy, 
though  covered  with  confusion  at  the  honor  just 


86  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

thrust  upon  him,  was  shaking  hands  with  his  friend 
James  Bowie. 

The  latter  had  just  arrived  from  San  Antonio  by 
way  of  Bastrop,  and  when  he  had  congratulated  the 
young  lieutenant  he  again  raised  his  voice  to  say  : 

"  Now,  boys,  let's  carry  our  gun  across  the  river 
and  give  those  chaps  a  chance  to  take  it  from  us  if 
they  can." 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  ABSURD  BATTLE  OF  GONZALES 

WHILE  the  bold  proposition  of  James  Bowie  was 
hailed  with  acclamation,  and  a  majority  of  the  vol 
unteers  were  in  favor  of  crossing  the  river  at  once, 
the  cooler  counsels  of  Squire  Harden  and  others, 
who  realized  how  much  depended  upon  the  success 
of  the  movement,  restrained  them  until  the  following 
day.  By  that  time  late  arrivals  had  so  strengthened 
their  force  that  their  numbers  were  equal  to  those 
of  the  Mexicans,  and  there  was  no  longer  a  doubt 
that  the  latter  could  be  beaten  in  fair  fight. 

The  Texans  waited  until  darkness  should  conceal 
their  movements,  and  then,  all  being  in  readiness, 
the  crossing  of  the  river  was  ordered  to  begin.  The 
mounted  men,  fifty  in  all,  were  the  first  to  leave 
camp,  their  destination  being  the  ford,  which  they 
were  to  hold.  They  were  also  bidden  to  make  a 
demonstration  from  that  direction  to  attract  atten 
tion  from  the  main  body  of  volunteers,  who,  taking 
the  famous  brass  field-piece  with  them,  were  to  cross 
in  boats  half  a  mile  higher  up  stream. 

Rex  Harden  went  with  the  former  body,  and  to 

87 


88  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

him  was  accorded  the  proud  distinction  of  leading 
the  advance,  —  a  picked  squad  of  twelve  splendidly 
mounted  horsemen,  every  one  of  whom  was  eager 
to  strike  the  first  blow  for  Texas.  As  these  dashed 
through  the  ford  and  mounted  its  farther  bank,  the 
young  leader  was  in  a  fever  of  excitement  and  found 
himself  trembling  violently,  but  he  only  leaned  over 
his  horse's  neck  to  whisper  : 

"  We  are  going  into  battle,  Tawny,  you  and  I ;  but 
we  must  keep  cool  —  " 

At  that  moment  came  a  sharp  challenge  from  the 
timber,  the  roar  of  an  escopetta,  and  a  ball  whizzed 
spitefully  close  above  the  lad's  head. 

The  first  shot  had  been  fired,  and  it  had  come 
from  the  other  side.  Half  a  dozen  others  instantly 
followed  it. 

"  Steady,  men  !  "  cried  the  young  lieutenant,  sit 
ting  erect  in  his  saddle,  with  every  trace  of  nervous 
ness  gone.  "  It's  only  a  picket  that  needs  to  be 
driven  in.  Forward  !  Charge  !  " 

The  squad  responded  with  a  yell  whose  volume 
would  have  done  credit  to  a  full  company,  clapped 
spurs  to  their  horses,  and  rushed  like  a  cyclone 
through  the  narrow  belt  of  timber,  beyond  which 
the  Mexican  picket  was  already  in  full  flight. 

Close  up  to  the  enemy's  camp  did  the  Texans  hold 
their  headlong  course  without  drawing  rein.  Into 
it  they  poured  a  volley  of  rifle  shots,  receiving  a 
scattering  and  harmless  fire  in  return,  and  having 


THE   ABSURD  BATTLE   OF  GONZALES  89 

thus  very  thoroughly  attracted  attention  to  them 
selves  they  wheeled  and  dashed  away  in  the  direc 
tion  from  which  they  had  corne. 

"  It  was  like  prodding  a  hornets'  nest,"  remarked 
Tom  Gallup  to  Rex  as  they  listened  to  the  blaring 
trumpets,  the  angry  drums,  and  the  fierce  shouts  of 
the  aroused  camp  behind  them. 

"  Yes,  and  wasn't  it  fine  ?  " 

"  You  bet  it  was.  Beats  buffalo-hunting  and  rop 
ing  wild  horses  all  hollow.  I  only  hope  they  won't 
run  away  before  we've  had  another  chance  at  them." 

In  spite  of  this  hope  it  seemed,  a  few  hours  later, 
as  though  the  Mexicans  had  run  away.  The  volun 
teers  were  so  delayed  in  their  crossing  of  the  river 
by  a  dense  fog  that  settled  down  while  Rex  and  his 
little  command  were  driving  in  the  picket,  that  it 
was  after  midnight  before  they  were  ready  for  an 
advance.  Then  the  scouts  sent  to  locate  the  enemy's 
camp  brought  back  word  that  it  was  abandoned. 

With  this  Rex  was  ordered  out  with  three  men  to 
discover,  if  possible,  what  had  become  of  Castonado 
and  his  force.  Moving  as  quietly  as  possible,  these 
scouted  for  several  miles  along  the  San  Antonio  road 
until  satisfied  that  the  retreat  had  not  taken  that 
direction.  Then  dividing  into  two  parties,  they 
made  long  detours  on  either  side  as  they  returned. 

"  It's  awfully  puzzling,"  remarked  the  young  lieu 
tenant  to  Tom  Gallup,  who  was  his  only  companion. 

"  It  is  so,  and  I'm  afraid  in  some  way  they've 


90  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

given  us  the  slip,  after  all.  We  could  run  'em 
down,  though,  if  only  this  confounded  fog  would 
lift  so  as  to  give  us  a  chance  at  the  trail.  Hist ! 
What's  that?" 

Both  lads  reined  their  horses  to  a  standstill  and 
listened.  A  sound  as  of  digging  came  to  their  ears, 
and  with  it  a  low  murmur  of  voices. 

At  this  moment  Tawny  lifted  his  head  and  sounded 
a  shrill  neigh  of  challenge.  It  was  promptly  answered 
from  close  at  hand.  At  the  same  moment  jet  after 
jet  of  flame  pierced  the  fog  on  the  scouts'  left,  and 
a  volley  of  shots  rattled  in  their  direction.  One  of 
the  bullets  grazed  Rex  on  an  arm,  though  he  did 
not  realize  at  the  time  that  he  had  been  hit. 

Wheeling  sharply,  without  firing  a  shot  in  return, 
the  two  lads  spurred  back  toward  the  road,  with  a 
troop  of  Mexican  cavalry  in  hot  pursuit. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  young  scouts,  shouting 
that  they  were  friends,  dashed  into  the  Texan  biv 
ouac,  while  a  discharge  of  the  brass  field-piece  that, 
as  was  afterwards  discovered,  killed  a  man  and  a 
horse,  caused  the  Mexicans  to  wheel  in  turn  and 
hurry  away  through  the  fog. 

"We  found  them,  sir,"  reported  Rex  to  Colonel 
Moore. 

"  I  see  you  did,"  replied  the  officer,  grimly,  "  and 
apparently  they  came  near  finding  you.  Where  are 
they  ?  " 

"About   half   a   mile   to   the  right    of   their   old 


THE  ABSURD   BATTLE  OF  GONZALES  91 

camp,  and  I  should  say  entrenching  themselves  on 
that  little  mound  just  beyond  Carter's  cornfield." 

"  Can  you  lead  us  to  the  spot  ?  " 

"I  think  so,  sir,  now  that  daylight  has  come." 

"  But,  lad,  you  are  wounded ! "  exclaimed  the 
colonel,  as  he  noted  that  blood  was  dripping  from  the 
young  lieutenant's  left  hand.  As  he  talked,  Rex  had 
been  unconsciously  wiping  this  away  with  his  other 
hand. 

"  Oh,  I  guess  not,  sir,"  he  replied,  hastily  wiping 
away  another  trickle  of  blood  as  he  spoke. 

"You  are,  though.     Here,  let  me  look." 

With  this  the  speaker  caught  Rex  by  the  arm, 
ripped  open  his  sleeve  at  a  place  where  a  tiny  hole 
betrayed  the  course  of  a  bullet,  and  laid  bare  the 
wound.  It  was  only  a  slight  furrow  on  the  inside 
of  the  arm,  but  the  ball  had  gone  within  an  inch  of 
the  boy's  heart,  and  for  a  moment  a  sense  of  his 
narrow  escape  from  death  turned  him  faint. 

"  Bring  water  and  rags,  quick,"  ordered  the  officer. 

Both  were  speedily  forthcoming,  and  a  few  min 
utes  later  the  wound  had  been  bound  up  with  rude 
skill. 

"  There,  that  will  do  until  you  can  get  across  the 
river,"  said  the  colonel,  "  and  I  am  very  grateful  not 
to  have  lost  one  of  my  most  valued  officers  on  his 
first  day  of  service." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  murmured  Rex.  "  But  surely, 
colonel,  you  are  not  going  to  send  me  to  the  rear 


92  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

for  a  scratch  like  that.  Just  as  you  are  about  to 
engage  the  enemy  too.  Really,  I  don't  feel  it  at 
all,  and  am  as  strong  as  ever  I  was.  Besides,  I 
know  just  where  to  find  them,  and  —  " 

44  That  will  do,"  laughed  the  other.  "  I  give  in, 
and  you  may  come  along  if  you  like.  Now,  men, 
fall  in." 

Two  minutes  later  the  little  Texan  army  was 
pressing  eagerly  forward  with  Rex  Harden,  as 
proud  of  his  wound  as  he  was  of  the  blue  emblem 
on  his  hat,  riding  beside  the  colonel  to  point  out 
the  way. 

After  a  mile  of  rapid  marching  he  said  :  "  There 
is  the  cornfield,  sir,  and  they  are  just  beyond  it." 

At  this  Colonel  Moore  halted  his  men  and  formed 
them  in  line  of  battle,  with  their  single  piece  of 
artillery  in  the  centre.  This  was  hardly  done  when 
the  fog,  which  had  been  thinning  away  since  day 
break,  lifted  entirely  and  disclosed  the  opposing 
forces  to  each  other  not  more  than  two  hundred 
yards  apart.  The  Mexicans  had  indeed  thrown  up 
a  line  of  low  earthworks  on  rising  ground,  behind 
which  they  awaited  the  Texan  advance. 

Before  this  could  be  ordered  a  man  bearing  a 
white  flag  was  seen  to  leave  the  enemy's  line.  As 
he  came  near,  he  was  recognized  to  be  an  American 
whom  Castonado  had  taken  prisoner.  He  brought 
word  that  the  Mexican  commander  desired  an  inter 
view  with  Colonel  Moore. 


THE   ABSURD   BATTLE   OF   GONZALES  93 

Upon  this  the  Texan  leader  rode  forward  and, 
halting  midway  between  the  two  forces,  was  there 
met  by  Castonado. 

"I  trust,  sefior,"  began  the  latter,  suavely,  "that 
there  is  to  be  no  trouble  between  us,  and  that  you 
have  come  to  surrender  the  cannon,  which  I  see 
you  have  brought  with  you." 

"  Then  your  trust  is  wholly  misplaced,  sir,"  re 
plied  Colonel  Moore,  "  for  I  have  brought  that  gun 
for  use  against  the  enemies  of  Texas,  as  you  will 
find  to  your  sorrow,  unless  you  prove  yourself  her 
friend  by  joining  in  our  struggle  for  liberty  or 
surrender  your  command  as  prisoners  of  war." 

The  Mexican's  face  blazed  with  anger.  "  You 
insult  me,  sir  !  "  he  cried,  "  and  I  will  die  at  the 
head  of  my  brave  troops  before  even  considering 
either  of  your  propositions." 

Upon  this,  and  without  exchanging  another  word, 
the  leaders  parted  and  returned  to  their  respective 
commands. 

"  Don't  be  worried,  boys,"  said  the  ranchman,  who 
had  remained  with  his  friends,  and  had  already 
found  a  place  in  the  ranks.  "  Them  fellows  over 
there  are  pretty  nigh  scared  to  death  now,  and  one 
roar  from  this  little  'barker'  will  about  use  'em 
up.  They  sent  off  their  wagons  more  than  an 
hour  ago." 

The  impatient  Texans  did  not  need  this  encour 
agement.  Their  only  worry  just  then  was  lest  the 


94  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

enemy  should  run  away  without  waiting  to  fight,  and 
the  result  proved  their  fears  to  be  well  grounded. 

As  Colonel  Moore  rejoined  his  men,  he  gave  orders 
to  fire  one  volley  and  then  charge  without  waiting 
to  reload.  A  moment  later  the  roar  of  the  six- 
pounder  was  drowned  in  a  crash  of  rifles.  Then, 
with  a  wild  yell,  the  Texans  dashed  across  the 
intervening  space  and  up  the  gentle  slope.  The 
Mexicans  fired  but  a  single  answering  volley,  every 
shot  of  which  flew  above  the  heads  of  the  oncom 
ing  volunteers.  Then  they  leaped  on  their  horses 
and  fled,  pell-mell,  down  the  opposite  side  of  the 
rise,  a  panic-stricken  mob  of  fugitives,  in  spite  of 
Castonado's  furious  efforts  to  check  them. 

Thus,  when  the  Texans  gained  the  breastworks, 
all  that  they  found  were  a  few  dead  and  wounded 
men  and  horses,  while  the  remainder  of  Castonado's 
valiant  force  was  rapidly  vanishing  in  a  flight  that 
was  only  ended  at  San  Antonio. 

"Looks  like  the  King  of  France  and  his  forty 
thousand  men,"  remarked  Tom  Gallup  to  his  friend, 
Rex  Harden,  as  he  gazed  comically  at  the  dust  cloud 
hiding  their  recent  foes. 

It  was  all  so  absurd  that,  while  some  of  the  Texans 
swore  and  others  stared  in  open-mouthed  amazement, 
the  majority  laughed  until  they  ached,  over  the  farce 
that  had  just  been  enacted.  For  all  that,  they  had 
won  a  victory,  the  effects  of  which  were  to  be  felt 
far  beyond  the  borders  of  their  beloved  state. 


CHAPTER   XII 

WHY   THE   MEXICAN   TROOPS   FOUGHT   BADLY 

BY  the  affair  of  Gonzales  the  spirit  of  revolution 
in  Texas  was  fanned  into  so  fierce  a  flame  that  it 
could  never  again  be  quenched  save  by  the  gaining 
of  an  absolute  independence.  When  the  victorious 
volunteers,  after  chasing  Castonado  out  of  sight, 
recrossed  the  river,  proudly  carrying  with  them  the 
field-piece  they  had  sworn  never  to  give  up,  they 
were  received  with  the  wildest  demonstrations  of 
joy.  Congratulations,  speeches,  and  feasting  filled 
the  day,  and  at  night  the  jubilant  Texans  gathered 
about  huge  bonfires  to  discuss  over  and  over  every 
detail  of  their  first  stand  against  the  tyranny  of 
Santa  Anna. 

Couriers  had  been  despatched  east,  north,  and 
south,  with  the  glorious  news,  and  it  was  everywhere 
received  with  wildest  enthusiasm.  From  all  quar 
ters  came  the  cry  : 

"Drive  the  Mexicans  beyond  the  Rio  Grande  !" 

In  Eastern  Texas  company  after  company  of 
volunteers  was  raised  and  hurried  to  the  front. 
General  Sam  Houston,  Ex-United  States  Senator, 
Ex-Governor  of  Tennessee,  and  recently  arrived  in 

96 


96  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

Texas  to  discover  its  present  condition  and  pros 
pects,  was  unanimously  chosen  commander-in-chief. 
Two  companies  were  raised  in  New  Orleans,  and  a 
battalion  in  Georgia.  The  citizens  of  Cincinnati 
subscribed  for  two  cannon  to  be  immediately  cast 
and  sent  as  a  present  to  the  Texans. 

James  Bowie  hurried  with  all  speed  to  his  planta 
tion  on  the  Mississippi.  He  had  already  issued 
invitations  for  the  grandest  barbecue  ever  seen  in 
the  Southwest,  to  be  held  there  in  the  interest  of  an 
American  Texas.  At  it  he  was  to  report  to  the 
thousands  who  would  be  gathered  the  result  of  his 
observations  on  the  scene  of  action.  David  Crock 
ett  of  Tennessee,  renowned  as  a  rifle  shot,  a  back 
woods  politician,  a  fighter,  and  for  his  homely  wit, 
was  one  of  the  principal  speakers  at  this  great  meet 
ing.  He  aroused  such  enthusiasm,  that  when  he 
left  it  for  Nacogdoches  he  was  accompanied  by  hun 
dreds  of  sturdy  frontiersmen  armed  with  rifles  and 
bowie  knives,  pledged  to  fight  in  the  cause  of  Texas. 

Gonzales  was  the  appointed  place  of  rendezvous, 
and  Stephen  Austin,  just  escaped  from  a  Mexican 
prison,  and  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in  the  state, 
was  elected  to  command  the  forces  there  collected. 
At  the  same  time  one  member  from  each  of  the 
committees  of  safety,  which  were  well  scattered  all 
over  Texas,  proceeded  to  San  Felipe,  where  they 
organized  a  provisional  government  for  carrying  on 
the  war. 


WHY  THE   MEXICAN  TROOPS  FOUGHT   BADLY        07 

As  a  result  of  all  this  energy  a  force  of  five  hun 
dred  well-armed  volunteers  was  gathered  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Guadalupe,  ready  for  a  march  to  San 
Antonio  within  ten  days  after  the  absurd  but  impor 
tant  battle  of  Gonzales. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  news  of  the  Texas  uprising 
was  received  in  Mexico  with  angry  amazement  and 
a  determination  to  suppress  it  before  it  could  assume 
formidable  proportions. 

Castonado's  flying  troops  reached  San  Antonio  on 
the  fourth  of  October,  and  their  appearance  so 
aroused  the  fury  of  the  Commandant  at  that  place, 
that  on  the  very  next  day  he  set  out  for  Gonzales 
with  five  hundred  troops  and  three  pieces  of  artil 
lery.  He  threatened  the  direst  vengeance  against 
the  heretic  Americanos  who  had  insulted  him  and 
dared  resist  his  authority.  No  one  of  them  should 
be  left  alive,  and  their  town  should  be  burned  to  the 
ground.  In  spite  of  his  brave  words  and  the  confi 
dence  with  which  he  set  forth,  the  reports  brought 
in  by  his  scouts  of  the  rapidly  increasing  strength  of 
the  Texans  so  cooled  his  ardor  that  his  marches 
became  slower  and  his  halts  longer,  until  finally  he 
dared  advance  no  further. 

The  Texan  army  was  at  length  equal  in  force  to 
his  own,  and  when  he  heard  that  it  crossed  the  river 
to  meet  him,  he  in  turn  fled  back  to  San  Antonio 
almost  as  precipitately  as  had  Castonado  only  a 
week  before. 


98  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

In  regard  to  the  cowardice  thus  manifested  by  the 
Mexican  troops  it  should  be  said  that  while  most  of 
their  officers  were  men  of  undoubted  bravery,  the  sol 
diers  with  whom  they  were  expected  to  subdue  Texas 
had  all  been  pressed  into  service,  and  fifty  per  cent, 
of  them  were  convicts  or  jail-birds,  compelled  to  serve 
out  their  terms  in  the  army.  These  troops  could 
only  be  induced  to  fight  when  their  overwhelming 
numbers  gave  them  an  assurance  of  success,  or  when 
fear  of  their  own  officers  was  greater  than  their 
dread  of  the  enemy. 

Such  men  were  absolutely  without  shame  in  run 
ning  away  from  inferior  forces,  were  sustained  by  no 
sentiment  of  patriotism,  and  were  mercilessly  cruel 
wherever  they  found  themselves  in  a  position  to  be 
so.  Of  such  as  these  were  the  permanent  Mexican 
garrisons  in  Texas  composed;  and  when  General  Cos 
was  sent  to  reenforce  them,  several  hundred  of  his 
one  thousand  men  wore  manacles  on  their  arms  and 
legs  until  they  reached  San  Antonio. 

Even  when  Santa  Anna  advanced  into  Texas,  some 
months  later,  two  thousand  of  his  six  thousand  troops 
were  poor  Yucatan  Indians,  ruthlessly  dragged  from 
their  homes  to  fight  a  people  with  whom  they  had  no 
quarrel,  and  of  whom  most  of  them  had  never  heard. 

With  such  soldiers  at  his  back  it  is  not  then  sur 
prising  that  the  Commandant  who  had  set  out  to  pun 
ish  the  rebels  at  Gonzales  should  have  deemed  it  the 
part  of  wisdom  to  retreat  before  an  equal  force  of 


WHY   THE  MEXICAN   TROOPS   FOUGHT  BADLY        99 

Texans,  who  were  not  only  aching  for  a  fight,  and 
had  everything  to  fight  for,  but  were  among  the 
most  expert  riflemen  of  the  world. 

Before  leaving  Gonzales,  General  Stephen  Austin 
despatched  a  force  of  one  hundred  mounted  men  to 
the  southward  against  the  Mexican  garrisons  of  Vic 
toria  on  the  Guadalupe,  and  Goliad  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  San  Antonio.  If  these  could  be  captured  or 
forced  to  retreat,  and  at  the  same  time  Bexar  could 
be  taken,  Texas  would  be  free  from  the  presence  of 
Mexican  troops. 

After  the  absurd  battle  of  Gonzales,  Rex  Harden, 
as  the  only  one  wounded  on  the  Texan  side,  had 
been  the  hero  of  the  hour.  He  was  made  so  much 
of  that  he  finally  grew  ashamed  of  the  scratch  that 
his  admirers  insisted  upon  dignifying  as  a  wound, 
and  to  tire  of  being  questioned  concerning  it.  There 
fore,  when  it  was  decided  to  send  a  mounted  force  to 
the  southward,  he  applied  for,  and  received,  permis 
sion  to  accompany  it. 

Not  only  was  Rex  impatient  for  further  action,  but 
he  was  decidedly  lonely  since  his  father  had  felt 
obliged  to  push  on  toward  San  Felipe  on  the  very 
day  that  Castonado  was  put  to  flight.  Of  course 
Mrs.  Harden  and  Mabel  had  gone  with  him,  as  had 
the  latter's  dearest  friend,  Nelita  Veramendi,  whom 
the  Bowies  had  left  in  Squire  Harden's  care  when 
they  hastened  eastward  to  the  great  barbecue. 

So  the  young  lieutenant  gladly  rode   away  with 


100  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

one  hundred  of  the  best  mounted  among  the  Texas 
volunteers ;  and  among  all  their  fine  horses  there  was 
none  to  compare  with  his  Tawny. 

At  the  very  first  bivouac  he  was  approached  by 
the  leader  of  the  expedition,  who  said  : 

"  I  am  told,  Harden,  that  you  can  talk  Mexican 
like  a  native.  Is  that  so  ?  " 

"  I  believe  it  is,  sir. " 

"  And  that  you  have  the  best  mount  of  the  entire 
troop  ?  " 

"  My  horse  is  certainly  a  good  one." 

"  You  have  also  done  some  very  creditable  scout 
ing  during  the  past  two  weeks." 

"Thank  you,  sir." 

"  Are  you  willing  to  undertake  another  job  of  the 
same  kind  ?  " 

"Certainly,  if  you  wish  me  to." 

"  Well,  I  do.  We  are,  as  you  know,  bound  first 
for  Victoria,  which  place  I  expect  to  reach  to-morrow 
evening.  As  the  Mexican  garrison  is  small,  it  is  not 
likely  that  we  shall  be  detained  there  very  long.  At 
any  rate  we  shall  hasten  on  to  Goliad  as  quickly  as 
possible.  Now  I  know  nothing  of  the  latter  place, 
nor  of  its  strength,  but  am  very  desirous  of  gaining 
all  possible  information  before  reaching  there,  in 
order  to  plan  an  immediate  attack.  Therefore,  I 
want  a  scout  to  cut  across  country  from  here  to 
Goliad,  gain  what  knowledge  he  can  concerning  the 
strength  of  the  place  to-morrow  night,  and  meet  me 


WHY  THE   MEXICAN  TROOPS  FOUGHT  BADLY      101 

somewhere  on  the  Victoria  road  the  day  following. 
Can  I  count  on  you  for  this  duty  ?  " 

"  I  think  you  may,  sir.  At  any  rate,  I  am  willing 
to  undertake  it,  and  will  do  the  best  I  can." 

"  How  many  men  will  you  want  ?  " 

"  I  would  rather  go  alone. " 

"  But  the  country  between  here  and  there  may  be 
infested  by  Cos's  troops." 

"  So  much  the  more  reason  for  going  alone,  sir. 
A  single  man  can  escape  notice  more  easily  than  a 
party.  Besides,  I  shall  have  to  make  haste  to  reach 
Goliad  by  to-morrow  evening,  and  I  do  not  believe 
there  is  another  horse  in  the  command  that  could 
keep  up  with  my  Tawny." 

"  Very  well,  lieutenant,  act  as  you  think  best,  and 
remember  that  the  success  of  our  expedition  will 
probably  depend  upon  the  information  that  you  can 
gain.  You  may  start  when  you  please,  and  if  I  do 
not  see  you  in  the  morning,  I  shall  know  that  you 
are  already  on  the  road.  Good-night,  and  good  luck 
to  you." 

The  stars  were  still  shining  the  next  morning, 
though  there  was  a  gray  light  in  the  eastern  sky, 
when  Rex  slipped  from  his  blankets,  gave  Tawny  a 
feed  of  corn,  and  made  for  himself  a  cup  of  coffee 
over  the  still  glowing  embers  of  a  camp-fire.  Long 
before  sunrise  he  had  left  the  still  sleeping  camp 
and  was  off  on  his  dangerous  mission.  At  starting, 
he  shivered  with  the  chill  of  the  morning  air  ;  but 


102  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

before  noon  the  sun  was  pouring  down  a  heat  that 
caused  him  to  welcome  a  slender  line  of  timber  that 
he  knew  must  border  a  stream. 

Reaching  the  little  river  and  taking  a  refreshing 
drink  of  its  clear  waters,  he  rode  a  short  distance 
down  its  bank  to  a  place  that  afforded  grass  for  his 
horse  and  was  at  the  same  time  well  hidden  from  the 
road.  Here  he  relieved  Tawny  of  saddle  and  bridle 
and  turned  him  loose  with  only  a  picket  rope  trailing 
from  his  neck.  He  knew  the  horse  would  not  stray 
far  and  could  be  recovered  at  any  moment.  In  fact, 
they  had  become  such  firm  friends  that  Tawny  would 
now  obey  his  call  if  he  were  anywhere  within 
hearing. 

Having  thus  provided  for  the  comfort  of  his  horse, 
Rex  threw  himself  down  in  the  shadow  of  a  great 
pecan  tree,  the  ripe  nuts  from  which  covered  a  wide 
space  of  ground,  and  began  to  eat  the  frugal  lunch  he 
had  brought  with  him.  He  had  ridden  so  hard  that 
morning  that  he  believed  he  could  well  afford  an 
hour  of  rest,  and  was  prepared  to  enjoy  it  as  one 
only  can  enjoy  a  pleasure  that  has  been  honestly 
earned. 

As  he  lay  there  munching  a  cold  corn  pone,  and 
lazily  admiring  Tawny,  he  noticed  that  every  now 
and  then  the  animal  lifted  his  head  to  sniff  the  air 
uneasily  and  always  from  the  same  direction.  He 
also  imagined  that  he  heard  a  murmur  of  voices,  but 
the  sound  was  so  very  faint  and  indistinct  that  he 


WHY  THE   MEXICAN  TROOPS   FOUGHT   BADLY      103 

could   neither   decide   its   nature   nor  the  direction 
from  which  it  came. 

Suddenly  a  cry  of  mortal  terror,  shrill  and  piercing, 
evidently  in  a  woman's  voice,  caused  our  lad  to  gain 
his  feet  at  a  bound  and  dash  recklessly  through  the 
timber  towards  the  startling  sound. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A   WOMAN   IN   PERIL 

SCREAM  after  scream  for  help  rang  out  on  the  still 
noontide  as  Rex  ran  through  the  timber  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  startling  sounds.  He  had  snatched  up 
his  rifle,  and  now  he  cocked  it  as  he  ran.  Emerging 
from  the  trees,  he  came  in  sight  of  a  small  log  house 
standing  on  the  prairie  two  hundred  yards  away.  It 
was  surrounded  by  a  wide  fence,  to  which  were  tied 
two  horses.  Near  them  was  a  man  uttering  unin 
telligible  cries,  and  acting  in  the  most  erratic  manner. 
He  would  throw  himself  to  the  ground,  leap  up 
again,  fling  his  arms  in  the  air,  cover  his  face  with 
his  hands,  run  this  way  and  that,  and  behaved  like 
one  bereft  of  his  senses. 

Much  nearer  at  hand  were  two  other  human 
figures  upon  whom  our  lad's  attention  was  instantly 
and  wholly  centred.  One  was  that  of  a  young  woman, 
evidently  an  American  from  her  white  skin.  She 
was  flying  with  outstretched  bare  arms,  streaming 
hair,  and  shrill  screams,  toward  the  timber  from 
which  Rex  was  just  emerging.  In  close  pursuit  of 
her  was  a  man  clad  in  the  tawdry  red  and  blue  uni 
form  of  a  Mexican  soldier.  His  swarthy  face  was 

104 


A  WOMAN  IN  PERIL  105 

devilish  in  its  expression  of  cruelty,  and  in  his  right 
hand  he  bore  a  naked  bayonet.  So  nearly  had  he 
overtaken  the  woman  when  Rex  came  in  sight  of 
them  that  his  weapon  was  lifted  for  a  lunge  into 
her  body. 

Our  lad  had  no  time  for  thought,  and  only  a  second 
in  which  to  act.  Without  taking  aim,  he  threw  for 
ward  his  rifle  and  fired,  when  to  his  amazement  both 
the  woman  and  her  would-be  murderer  plunged  for 
ward  and  fell  to  the  ground. 

For  a  moment  Rex  stood  horrified  at  the  apparent 
result  of  his  shot.  Then  hearing  a  groan  that  proved 
at  least  one  of  his  supposed  victims  to  be  alive,  he  ran 
to  where  they  lay.  The  groans  came  from  the 
Mexican,  who  was  apparently  wounded,  though  how 
severely  or  where,  our  lad  could  not  determine  in  the 
single  glance  that  he  gave  him.  His  sympathy,  and 
for  the  time  being  his  whole  attention,  were  directed 
to  the  woman,  upon  whose  person  he  could  discover 
no  signs  of  a  wound,  though  she  lay  motionless  and 
apparently  dead.  Running  to  the  stream  for  a  hat 
ful  of  water,  he  dashed  it  by  double  handfuls  in  her 
face,  and  was  at  length  rewarded  by  seeing  her  open 
her  eyes.  Then,  with  his  assistance,  she  sat  up  and 
stared  about  her,  frightened  and  bewildered. 

As  she  did  so,  Rex  talked  soothingly  to  her,  say 
ing  that  her  enemy  was  powerless  to  do  her  further 
injury,  and  begging  her  to  believe  that  danger  no 
longer  threatened.  After  a  few  moments  of  convul- 


106  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

give  sobbing,  caused  by  exhaustion,  and  a  reaction 
from  her  recent  terror,  the  young  woman  controlled 
herself  sufficiently  to  murmur  something  about  father 
and  mother,  at  the  same  time  striving  to  regain  her 
feet. 

In  this,  Rex  lent  his  assistance,  and  then  he  sup 
ported  her  as  they  walked  slowly  towards  the  house. 
She  gave  a  shudder  as  they  passed  the  prostrate 
Mexican,  whom  she  evidently  believed  to  be  dead ; 
but  her  eyes  blazed  with  a  feeble  fury,  as  they  fell 
on  the  other  man,  who  still  continued  his  strange 
actions,  in  front  of  the  house,  and  who,  as  Rex  now 
saw,  was  also  a  Mexican  soldier.  As  this  man  real 
ized  their  approach,  he  hesitated  for  an  instant,  and 
then  scrambling  clumsily  to  the  back  of  one  of  the 
horses,  he  rode  rapidly  away,  greatly  to  the  young 
lieutenant's  relief. 

The  woman  paid  no  attention  to  him,  after  that 
first  glance,  but  appeared  doubly  eager  to  reach  the 
house,  and  seemed  to  gain  new  strength  as  they 
drew  near  to  it.  At  the  door,  she  pulled  away  from 
Rex,  and  entered  in  advance  of  him,  uttering  a  fer 
vent  "  Thank  God  !  "  as  she  did  so. 

Pressing  curiously  forward,  the  lad  was  filled  with 
horror  and  rage  at  the  sight  that  met  his  eyes.  An 
old  man  and  an  old  woman,  whose  white  hairs  should 
have  protected  them  from  outrage,  even  by  such 
brutes  as  Mexican  soldiers,  were  standing  at  the  foot 
of  a  tall  bedstead,  securely  bound  to  two  of  its  posts. 


A   WOMAN  IN  PERIL  107 

Their  clothing  was  torn,  and  they  were  covered  with 
blood  from  many  wounds,  seemingly  made  with  knife 
points,  that  appeared  on  all  parts  of  their  bodies. 
Beyond  them  was  a  table,  set  for  dinner,  and  beside 
it  lay  an  iron  skillet  with  a  broken  handle.  It  had 
evidently  been  filled  with  frying  bacon,  bits  of  which, 
together  with  a  quantity  of  grease,  were  scattered 
over  the  floor. 

Without  waiting  for  an  explanation  of  this  strange 
scene,  Rex  sprang  to  cut  the  lashings  of  the  old 
people.  The  old  woman  at  once  sank  helplessly  to 
the  floor,  but  the  old  man  managed  to  reach  a  chair 
unaided. 

With  others  dependent  upon  her,  the  young  woman 
recovered  her  own  strength  wonderfully,  and,  aided 
by  Rex,  succeeded,  after  a  while,  in  restoring  the  old 
people  to  a  certain  degree  of  comfort.  Then,  little 
by  little,  and  with  frequent  interruptions,  she  told 
the  lad  the  story  of  their  sufferings. 

From  it  he  learned  that  the  old  people  were  her 
own  father  and  mother,  and  that  they  three,  together 
with  her  husband,  Alvin  Yardley,  constituted  the 
entire  family  of  this  isolated  ranch.  They  had  only 
learned  the  day  before,  of  the  Texas  uprising,  and  of 
the  advance  of  General  Cos,  with  an  army,  to  over 
run  the  country.  That  morning  her  husband  had 
ridden  to  the  nearest  neighbor's,  ten  miles  away,  to 
borrow  a  wagon,  in  which  to  remove  the  old  folk  to 
a  place  of  safety. 


108  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Soon  after  his  departure  the  two  Mexicans,  who, 
as  she  learned  from  their  conversation,  had  been 
impressed  into  the  army  from  the  Monterey  chain- 
gang,  appeared  before  the  house.  They  forced  an 
entrance,  and  with  dire  threats  of  what  they  would 
do  in  case  of  resistance,  bound  its  helpless  inmates 
to  as  many  bedposts.  Then  they  ransacked  every 
room  in  search  of  valuables,  and  tortured  the  old 
people  with  knife  pricks  to  make  them  disclose 
where  such  things  were  hidden. 

Having  collected  whatever  seemed  to  them  desira 
ble  and  fastened  their  bundles  of  plunder  to  the  sad 
dles  of  two  horses  that  they  stole  from  the  Yardley 
corral,  they  loosened  the  bonds  of  the  younger 
woman  and  ordered  her  to  cook  a  dinner  for  them, 
declaring  that  if  she  refused  they  would  kill  her 
parents.  As  she  moved  slowly  to  obey  them,  hoping 
with  each  moment  for  the  arrival  of  her  husband, 
one  of  the  wretches  hastened  her  movements  by 
threatening  the  old  folk  with  his  knife  while  the 
other  kept  watch  from  the  door. 

When  the  meal,  prepared  under  these  circum 
stances,  was  finally  served,  the  brute  with  the  knife 
gave  each  of  the  old  people  a  parting  cut  with  his 
knife  as  he  moved  towards  the  table.  This  so  en 
raged  their  daughter  that  she  lifted  a  skillet  of 
sizzling  bacon  that  she  was  taking  from  the  stove, 
and  brought  it  down  with  all  her  strength  on  his 
head.  The  man  was  horribly  burned,  and  very 


A  WOMAN  IN  PERIL  109 

nearly  blinded,  by  the  scalding  grease  ;  but  with 
out  waiting  to  note  his  condition  the  woman  sprang 
through  the  doorway,  hoping  for  time  to  secure  one 
of  the  guns  that  hung  from  the  Mexican  saddles. 

The  unwounded  man  pursued  her  so  closely,  how 
ever,  that  she  was  unable  to  accomplish  her  purpose, 
and  could  only  fly,  screaming  for  help,  towards  the 
timber.  The  Mexican  rapidly  overtook  her,  and 
but  for  the  opportune  appearance  of  our  young 
scout,  she  and  her  parents  would  certainly  have 
been  killed. 

The  young  woman  had  hardly  finished  her  story 
and  was  trying,  in  broken  tones,  to  express  her 
gratitude  to  Rex  for  his  gallant  rescue,  when  there 
came  a  clatter  of  hoofs  ;  a  horse  was  reined  sharply 
up  before  the  door,  and  a  man,  whom  the  woman 
greeted  with  a  cry  of  joy,  flung  himself  into  the 
house. 

It  was  Alvin  Yardley,  returned  without  the  wagon 
he  had  gone  to  borrow,  but  with  news  that  rendered 
the  present  abandonment  of  his  home  unnecessary. 
Cos  had  marched  to  San  Antonio  with  an  army 
of  nine  hundred  men,  leaving  a  small  garrison  at 
Goliad,  under  Colonel  Sandoval.  This  had  been 
surprised,  and  the  place  captured,  only  the  night 
before,  by  a  band  of  Texans  from  the  Guadalupe, 
led  by  a  Captain  Collingsworth. 

While  Sandoval  and  his  officers  had  been  taken 
prisoners,  most  of  the  garrison  had  effected  their 


110  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

escape.  Alvin  Yardley  had  undertaken  to  ride  to 
Gonzales  and  notify  the  Texans  at  that  place  of 
what  had  happened,  in  order  that  they  might  cut 
off  these  stragglers  before  they  could  reach  San 
Antonio.  Now,  learning  of  the  peril  from  which 
his  own  family  had  just  been  delivered,  and  realiz 
ing  that  there  was  still  danger  from  other  prowling 
Mexicans,  he  had  no  mind  to  leave  them  unprotected 
again. 

"  I  could  go  in  your  place  as  well  as  not,"  said 
Rex,  reflectively,  "if  I  could  only  get  word  to 
Colonel  Moore,  for  he  will  not  now  need  me  at 
Goliad." 

"  I  will  guarantee  to  let  him  know  what  you  have 
done  !  "  cried  Yardley,  eagerly.  "  If  he  has  gone  to 
Victoria,  he  probably  knows  by  this  time  that  your 
present  errand  is  useless,  for  Collingsworth  captured 
that  place  before  coming  to  Goliad.  If  you  only 
will  let  me  out  of  this  Gonzales  trip,  I  shall  be 
mighty  grateful," 

Rex  required  but  little  persuasion  to  be  the  bearer 
of  such  glorious  news  to  his  comrades  of  Austin's 
army,  the  more  especially  as  he  was  eager  to  join 
them  in  their  attack  on  San  Antonio,  before  which 
place  he  believed  he  should  find  them  rather  than 
at  Gonzales.  So,  after  partaking  of  a  hearty  meal, 
prepared  by  the  young  woman  whose  life  he  had 
saved,  the  boy  was  ready  for  his  eighty-mile  ride 
up  the  river. 


A   WOMAN  IN  PERIL  111 

Alvin  Yardley  went  with  him  to  learn  what  had 
become  of  the  wounded  Mexican  who  had  so  nearly 
taken  his  wife's  life,  but  when  they  reached  the  spot 
where  Rex  had  left  him,  he  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

"  Lucky  for  him,"  muttered  Yardley,  "  for  I  would 
surely  have  killed  him  if  I  had  found  him  alive. 
However,  he's  sure  to  meet  with  his  deserts  before 
long,  for  such  scoundrels  can't  go  far  in  this  country 
unpunished." 

The  ranchman's  prophecy  was  startlingly  con 
firmed  a  few  minutes  later,  for  when  they  went  to 
secure  Tawny  they  found  him  quietly  feeding  not 
far  from  the  dead  body  of  that  very  Mexican,  whose 
skull  had  evidently  been  crushed  by  a  powerful  kick 
from  a  horse's  hoof. 

Rex  was  shocked,  but  the  ranchman  only  smiled 
grimly  as  he  remarked  : 

"  That  horse  of  yours  is  surely  a  true  Texan,  for 
he  not  only  wears  the  lone  star,  the  same  as  his 
master,  but  kills  any  greaser  that  tries  to  ride  him. 
Take  care  of  him,  lad,  for  he's  a  good  one." 

With  this  they  parted,  and  Rex,  turning  his  face 
again  northward,  galloped  away  on  fleet-footed 
Tawny,  the  avenger. 

The  sun  was  within  three  hours  of  its  setting 
when  he  started,  and  he  had  not  ridden  many  miles 
before  a  gathering  dusk  warned  him  that  it  was  time 
to  make  camp.  Thus  far  he  had  travelled  over  an 
open  prairie,  with  an  unobscured  view  in  eveiy 


112  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

direction.  Now  he  must  seek  the  thick  timber  of 
the  river  bottom.  He  had  no  sooner  entered  this 
than  his  eye  caught  a  distant  gleam  of  firelight,  and 
he  heard  the  sound  of  voices.  His  first  impulse  was 
to  retreat  to  the  prairie.  Then  he  reflected  that 
while  those  whose  camp-fire  he  saw  were  probably 
enemies,  they  might  prove  to  be  friends,  and  that  at 
any  rate,  as  a  scout,  he  was  bound  to  gather  all  possi 
ble  information  concerning  them.  Thus  thinking, 
he  tethered  Tawny  to  a  tree,  and  crept  cautiously 
towards  the  firelight. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

BEX  IS   CONDEMNED   TO   BE   SHOT 

THE  bivouac  on  which  Rex  had  thus  stumbled 
was  that  of  a  score  of  Mexican  soldiers  who,  hav 
ing  escaped  from  Goliad,  were  leisurely  travelling 
towards  San  Antonio.  That  they  had  made  success 
ful  forays  on  the  several  ranches  of  that  sparsely 
settled  country  was  shown  by  the  plunder,  provis 
ions,  and  forage  scattered  about  their  camp,  while, 
by  occasional  flashes  of  firelight,  the  young  scout 
could  make  out  a  number  of  horses  and  mules 
fastened  to  surrounding  trees.  As  our  lad  noted 
these,  he  became  possessed  of  an  idea  that  he  deter 
mined  to  carry  out  if  possible. 

"  If  I  could  only  run  off  that  stock,"  he  said  to  him 
self,  "  and  so  leave  those  fellows  to  make  their  way  up 
the  river  on  foot,  I  could  reach  Austin's  camp  in  time 
to  bring  back  a  party  that  would  capture  the  whole 
gang.  I'll  have  to  wait,  though,  until  they  settle 
down  for  the  night.  Then  we'll  see  what  can  be 
done." 

Thus  thinking,  the  lad  crept  back  to  where  he  had 
loft  Tawny,  fed  him  from  a  small  sack  of  Alvin 
Yardley's  corn,  ate  his  own  scanty  supper,  and  sat 
i  113 


114  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

down  to  wait  until  the  quiet  of  the  Mexican  camp 
should  indicate  that  it  was  buried  in  slumber. 

He  did  not  mean  to  go  to  sleep,  of  course  ;  but  he 
was  dead  tired,  and  after  a  while  was  so  overcome 
by  drowsiness,  that  it  seemed  as  though  to  close  his 
eyes  for  just  one  minute  would  be  the  most  blessed 
thing  in  the  world.  He  reasoned,  too,  that  his 
hearing  would  become  more  acute  if  his  eyes  were 
shut,  and  as  he  could  not  see  anything  even  with 
them  open,  there  could  be  no  possible  harm  in  clos 
ing  them  for  a  single  minute.  He  would  open  them 
and  move  about  to  shake  off  his  drowsiness,  if  there 
was  any  real  danger  of  going  to  sleep,  for  he  was  in 
too  perilous  a  position  to  even  think  of  such  a  thing. 

What  a  relief  it  was  to  close  them,  though ;  and 
how  decidedly  his  sense  of  hearing  was  quickened. 
At  the  same  time  it  was  queer  that  certain  of  the 
voices  coming  to  him  in  a  confused  murmur  should 
resemble  those  of  his  sister  Mabel  and  Nelita  Vera- 
mendi.  What  dear  girls  they  were,  and  how  fond 
he  was  of  them  !  So  much  so  that  it  was  difficult  to 
tell  which  he  liked  best ;  though,  of  course,  it  must 
be  Mabel,  for  she  was  his  sister.  Still  it  was  very 
pleasant  to  dream  of  Nelita.  So  the  tired  lad 
slipped  happily  away  into  dreamland,  and  Tawny, 
standing  motionless  beside  him,  also  drooped  his 
head  drowsily. 

For  hours  they  slept.  The  camp  of  Mexicans,  not 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  was  also  buried 


REX  IS  CONDEMNED  TO  BE  SHOT       115 

in  slumber,  with  even  its  guards  nodding  at  their 
posts,  and  the  only  sounds  to  be  heard  were  the 
ordinary  night  voices  of  the  wilderness.  A  wolf 
howled  from  across  the  river,  and  was  answered 
from  the  nearer  side.  Others  took  up  the  weird  cry 
and  repeated  it  until  it  seemed  as  though  the  beasts 
must  be  exchanging  a  regular  code  of  signals.  Cer 
tainly  their  voices  approached  each  other,  until  with 
a  final  yelping  bark  they  too  became  silent. 

At  the  very  first  wolf  cry  Tawny  lifted  his  head, 
pricked  forward  his  ears,  and  sniffed  the  heavy 
night  air  suspiciously.  He  was  decidedly  uneasy, 
for  though  his  wild  life  on  the  Texas  prairies  had 
made  him  well  acquainted  with  many  kinds  of  wolves, 
from  the  great  lobo  down  to  the  sneaking  coyote, 
the  language  of  those  now  calling  to  each  other  on 
all  sides  of  him  was  so  different  from  any  with 
which  he  was  familiar,  that  he  could  not  understand 
what  they  were  saying.  Even  after  they  became 
silent  he  continued  nervously  alert  and  watchful. 

All  at  once  the  peaceful  quiet  of  the  night  w&3 
shattered  by  such  a  whirlwind  of  sound,  yells,  shots, 
terrified  screams,  and  a  thunderous  rushing  that 
bedlam  seemed  to  have  broken  loose  in  that  narrow 
strip  of  timbered  river  bottom. 

Thus  rudely  awakened,  Rex  sprang  up,  still  dazed 
with  sleep,  and  instinctively  started  to  fly  from  the 
impending  terror.  Then  bethinking  himself  of 
Tawny  and  his  rifle,  he  turned  to  where  he  had  left 


116  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

them.  The  next  moment  he  was  hurled  breathless 
to  the  ground,  while  a  veritable  cyclone  of  madly 
galloping  horses  and  fiercely  yelling  men  swept  over 
the  spot  where  he  lay.  That  he  was  not  killed  out 
right,  was  owing  to  a  fallen  tree  that  partially  pro 
tected  him  ;  but  when  the  wild  riders  had  passed, 
and  he  painfully  gained  a  sitting  posture,  he  felt  as 
though  he  had  been  pounded  with  clubs  on  every 
portion  of  his  body. 

He  could  not  imagine  what  had  happened,  but 
from  the  shots  that  still  flashed  through  the  timber 
in  every  direction,  he  believed  himself  to  be  in  the 
thick  of  a  battle.  It  also  seemed  as  though  every 
gun  were  pointed  directly  at  him,  and  that  if  he 
remained  where  he  was  another  moment  he  would 
certainly  be  killed. 

So  he  attempted  with  slow  and  painful  movements 
to  crawl  out  of  range ;  but  he  had  not  gone  a  rod 
when  a  Mexican  soldier  in  fruitless  pursuit  of  the 
yelling  horsemen  who  had  just  passed,  stumbled 
over  his  crouching  body  and  fell  headlong.  As  this 
leader  was  closely  followed  by  a  dozen  of  his  com 
rades,  Rex  was  instantly  seized  and  jerked  rudely  to 
his  feet. 

The  red  flash  of  an  escopetta,  fired  close  to  his  face, 
revealed  the  fact  that  he  was  white,  and  consequently 
an  enemy. 

"  The  heretic  !  " 

"  The  gringo  !  " 


REX   IS   CONDEMNED   TO   BE   SHOT  117 

"  Kill  him  !  " 

"  Cut  him  in  pieces  !  " 

"  The  dog  of  a  Texan  !  " 

"  His  vile  comrades  have  stolen  our  horses  and 
escaped,  but  he  shall  suffer  for  all !  " 

"  Kill  him,  then  !  " 

"  No.  That  would  be  too  easy.  Let  us  take  him 
to  camp  and  have  some  sport  with  him." 

These  cries,  and  many  others  of  similar  import, 
uttered  to  an  accompaniment  of  fierce  Mexican  oaths, 
revealed  to  Rex  the  imminent  danger  of  his  position, 
and  showed  him  how  little  mercy  he  had  to  expect 
from  his  cruel  captors.  He  was,  however,  wise 
enough  to  conceal  his  knowledge  of  their  language, 
and  paid  no  attention  to  the  questions  showered 
upon  him  as  to  the  character  of  those  who  had  just 
run  off  with  the  Mexican  horses.  Of  course  he  did 
not  know  any  more  than  did  they  who  questioned 
him,  though  from  the  yells  that  still  came  faintly 
back  from  the  open  prairie,  he  shrewdly  suspected 
the  raiders  to  be  a  party  of  Comanche  Indians. 

At  the  same  time,  from  having  found  this  white 
lad  directly  in  the  track  of  their  recent  assailants, 
where  he  was  supposed  to  have  fallen  from  his  horse, 
his  captors  believed  the  attack  to  have  been  made  by 
a  force  of  Texans  whom  it  would  not  be  wise  to 
pursue  too  far  or  too  closely. 

So  they  made  their  way  sullenly,  and  with  many 
fierce  threats  of  what  they  would  do  to  the  thieves  if 


118  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

they  caught  them,  back  to  their  ravaged  camp,  driv 
ing  their  prisoner  before  them  with  blows  and  curses. 
The  poor  lad  was  so  battered  and  bruised  that  every 
movement  gave  him  sharp  twinges  of  pain,  and  he 
could  scarcely  lift  one  foot  after  the  other.  His 
wrists  were  tightly  bound  behind  him,  and  a  picket 
rope  knotted  loosely  about  his  neck  was  constantly 
jerked  by  the  brute  who  held  it,  until  the  unhappy 
captive  was  wellnigh  strangled. 

When  the  camp  was  finally  reached  Rex  was  so 
nearly  used  up  that  he  sank  with  a  groan  at  the  foot 
of  a  tree  to  which  he  was  immediately  secured. 
There  he  was  left  to  await  the  coming  of  daylight 
and  whatever  fate  his  captors  might  hold  in  reserve 
for  him. 

Oh!  how  he  ached,  and  how  he  was  tormented  by 
thirst,  for  it  was  hours  since  he  had  tasted  a  drop 
of  water.  Now  he  could  smell  the  river  close  at 
hand,  and  the  knowledge  of  its  presence  added  to 
his  distress.  He  had  begged  for  water,  and  even 
admitted  a  certain  knowledge  of  his  captors'  lan 
guage  by  repeating  over  and  over  again  the  single 
word  agua ;  but  they  had  only  mocked  at  his  dis 
tress  and  left  him  to  suffer. 

Besides  his  aches  and  his  thirst,  Rex  was  filled 
with  gloomy  forebodings  as  to  his  fate,  and  with 
self-accusations  at  having  been  so  weak  as  to  fall 
asleep  while  on  duty.  He  also  began  to  wonder  if 
he  had  not  done  wrong  in  undertaking  an  indepen- 


REX  IS  CONDEMNED  TO  BE  SHOT       119 

dent  mission  without  orders  from  his  superior  officer. 
Until  now  it  had  not  seemed  to  him,  any  more  than 
it  did  to  others  of  the  Texas  volunteers,  that  they 
formed  part  of  a  real  army  and  were  as  much  bound 
as  are  all  soldiers,  to  abide  by  orders.  At  that  very 
moment  the  troops  comprising  Austin's  little  army 
were  coming  and  going  as  they  pleased,  refusing  to 
mount  guard,  perform  necessary  camp  duties,  or  obey 
unpopular  officers  unless  they  chose.  In  many  other 
ways  they  were  behaving  with  the  folly  of  indepen 
dent  citizens  who  had  yet  to  learn  by  bitter  expe 
rience  that  their  real  strength  and  only  hope  of 
success  lay  in  united  action  and  implicit  obedience 
to  those  chosen  to  lead  them. 

In  the  light  of  his  present  experience  Rex  could 
see  all  this  clearly  enough,  and  one  of  the  bitterest 
regrets  of  his  situation  was  that  he  would  probably 
never  be  able  to  point  out  the  folly  of  their  course 
to  his  recent  comrades.  He  feared  that  he  would 
never  even  see  them  again,  for  he  had  overheard  one 
of  his  captors  say  to  another  who  proposed  giving 
him  a  drink  of  water  : 

"  Why  make  a  trouble  for  yourself  ?  The  gringo 
will  not  thirst  for  long,  since  he  is  to  be  shot  at  day 
break." 

So  sentence  had  been  pronounced;  and  Rex,  believ 
ing  that  his  life  was  nearly  ended,  strove  to  reconcile 
himself  to  the  awful  thought.  And  yet  how  cruel 
it  was  !  He  was  so  young,  and  life  seemed  so  sweet. 


120  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

He  had  committed  no  crime,  nor  had  he  been  capt 
ured  in  battle  against  the  Mexicans.  He  only 
wished  he  had.  If  he  could  have  struck  even  a 
single  telling  blow  for  Texas,  he  would  be  willing  to 
die.  Or  if  he  could  die  in  such  a  way  as  to  afford 
an  example  to  others.  But  to  have  his  life  thrown 
away  and  his  fate  unknown.  To  be  shot  down  in 
cold  blood  like  a  worthless  cur.  Oh  !  it  was  too 
hard  ! 

What  would  his  mother  imagine  had  become  of 
him  ?  What  an  agony  of  suspense  she  would  suffer  ! 
But  he  must  not  think  of  her,  nor  of  the  other  dear 
ones,  who  would  wait  in  vain  for  his  coming,  for 
such  thoughts  would  unman  him  and  he  would  dis 
grace  the  name  of  a  Texan  by  breaking  down  in  the 
hour  of  his  supreme  trial.  No,  he  must  think  only 
of  Texas  and  be  proud  that  he  was  chosen  to  die  for 
her. 

With  this  the  poor  lad  tried  to  fix  his  thoughts  on 
noble  themes,  but  in  spite  of  his  efforts  they  always 
came  back  to  his  own  bodily  sufferings  and  to  the 
consideration  of  mad  plans  for  escape.  He  could 
not  believe  it  possible  that  he  was  really  to  die. 
Some  miracle  would  surely  intervene  to  save  him. 
He  was  too  young  to  be  reconciled  to  death,  too  san 
guine  to  relinquish  hope. 

In  the  meantime  his  captors  discussed  his  fate 
with  brutal  laugh  and  coarse  jest  about  the  camp- 
fire  until  daylight.  Just  at  sunrise  two  of  them 


REX   IS    CONDEMNED  TO   BE   SHOT  121 

approached  their  prisoner,  roughly  assisted  him  to 
his  feet,  led  him  a  short  distance  from  the  camp,  and 
bound  him  securely  to  a  sapling.  Then  they  delib 
erately  pinned  a  bit  of  white  cloth  over  his  left  breast, 
and  pointing  significantly  to  a  file  of  their  comrades 
who,  with  loaded  muskets,  were  drawn  up  in  line 
facing  him,  gave  him  to  understand  that  the  hour 
for  his  execution  had  arrived. 

At  the  spasm  of  anguish  that  swept  across  the 
lad's  face,  they  laughed,  and  one  of  them  said,  "  He 
is  but  a  coward,  after  all,  like  all  these  Texas  rebels." 

As  he  heard  these  words,  Rex  nerved  himself  with 
a  mighty  effort ;  and,  though  his  face  grew  white 
and  rigid,  he  gazed  with  unflinching  eyes  straight  at 
the  black  muzzles  of  the  levelled  muskets. 

"  Ready  !     Fire  ! !  " 

The  cruel  order  was  instantly  followed  by  a  leap 
ing  flame  and  a  crashing  report.  At  the  same  mo 
ment  the  young  Texan's  proudly  lifted  head  fell 
forward  on  his  breast,  and,  but  for  its  supporting 
bands,  his  body  would  have  sunk  to  the  ground. 


CHAPTER  XV 

SAVED   BY   COCHITO   THE   COMANCHE 

THE  Mexicans  had  not  intended  to  kill  their  pris 
oner,  at  least,  not  just  then  ;  for  they  had  decided 
that  he  could  be  made  useful  as  a  guide,  and  also  as 
a  protection  for  their  own  worthless  bodies  against 
the  rifles  of  any  Texans  whom  they  might  encounter 
on  their  road.  They  could  kill  him  at  any  time ; 
and  so  it  might  be  just  as  well  to  save  him  while 
there  was  a  chance  of  his  proving  useful.  Still,  with 
the  innate  cruelty  of  all  brutal  natures,  which  is  the 
same  whether  shown  by  civilized  boys  in  the  torture 
of  helpless  animals,  and  the  needless  infliction  of 
pain  upon  their  weaker  comrades,  or  by  savages  in 
their  treatment  of  captives,  these  cruel  servants  of  a 
still  more  cruel  master  could  not  forego  the  exquisite 
pleasure  of  witnessing  human  suffering.  So  they 
had  conceived  the  plan  of  a  sham  execution,  and 
watched,  with  amusement,  the  mental  agony  of  the 
poor  lad,  who,  firmly  believing  that  the  hour  of  his 
death  had  arrived,  nerved  himself  to  meet  it  as  be 
came  one  of  his  race  and  breeding. 

His  strength  was  already  weakened,  and  the  strain 
122 


SAVED  BY  COCHITO   THE  COMANCHE  123 

of  the  last  few  minutes  was  so  terrible,  that,  when 
a  volley  of  blank  cartridges  was  fired  directly  at 
him,  he  all  at  once  lost  consciousness  of  his  situa 
tion  as  surely  as  though  every  gun  had  contained  a 
bullet. 

As  the  Mexicans  noted  this  unexpected  effect  of 
their  experiment,  their  mirth  was  silenced,  and  they 
ran  forward  to  discover  what  had  brought  their  an 
ticipated  pleasure  to  so  abrupt  an  end.  Cutting  the 
thongs  that  bound  the  boy,  and  so  letting  his  body 
slip  limply  to  the  ground,  they  began  to  examine  it 
in  search  of  wounds.  But  there  was  none,  and  at 
length  one  after  another  declared,  with  strange 
oaths,  that  the  coward  gringo  had  simply  died  of 
fright. 

With  this  they  lost  all  interest  in  the  prisoner  who 
had  so  disappointed  them,  and  leaving  the  motionless 
form  to  be  disposed  of  by  wolves  or  buzzards,  they 
set  forth  on  foot  for  San  Antonio.  Being  deprived 
of  their  cattle,  they  were  obliged  to  leave  behind 
them  a  great  stock  of  provisions,  clothing,  and  other 
spoil  of  looted  ranches,  and  were  able  to  carry  away 
but  a  small  portion  of  their  plunder. 

This  was  exactly  what  Cochito,  a  young  Comanche, 
who  had  planned  the  raid  of  the  night  before,  had 
hoped  they  would  do.  Although  the  Comanches 
were  at  that  time  nominally  at  peace  with  both 
Americans  and  Mexicans,  this  young  Indian,  eager 
to  win  the  laurels  of  a  warrior,  had  persuaded  three 


124  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

lads  of  his  own  age  to  leave  their  village  by  stealth 
and  accompany  him  in  search  of  adventures. 

From  the  very  outset  their  enterprise  had  been 
successful  ;  for,  reaching  the  vicinity  of  Goliad  just 
after  its  capture,  each  of  them  had  acquired  the  scalp 
of  a  Mexican  straggler  without  difficulty  or  danger. 
Then  they  ran  across  the  trail  of  those  who,  laden 
with  the  plunder  of  outlying  ranches,  were  hasten 
ing  northward.  Like  a  pack  of  those  wolves,  whose 
cries  they  imitated  in  signalling  to  each  other,  the 
four  young  Comanches  followed  closely  after  this 
party  until  they  encamped,  and  then  withdrew  to  a 
safe  distance  for  consultation.  The  Mexicans  were 
too  strong  to  be  attacked  and  too  well  mounted  to 
straggle,  or  to  abandon  any  of  their  plunder. 

"  But,"  said  Cochito,  "  if  we  could  dismount  them, 
then  would  they  leave  behind  many  things  that  they 
could  not  carry.  Also,  if  we  had  their  horses,  we 
could,  without  trouble,  remove  to  the  lodges  of  our 
people,  that  which  would  make  us  the  envy  of  every 
Comanche  warrior." 

The  others  agreed  that  the  words  of  their  brother 
were  very  pleasant ;  but  how  were  they  to  obtain  the 
coveted  horses,  without  risking  their  own  precious 
scalps  ? 

"Wait,  thou  here,"  answered  Cochito,  "while  I 
cross  the  river.  When  I  call  to  thee,  it  will  be  made 
plain  how  the  thing  we  wish  for  may  come  to  pass." 
So  the  three  waited,  while  their  young  leader  crept 


SAVED   BY   COCHITO   THE   COMANCHE  125 

noiselessly  about  the  Mexican  camp,  estimated  its 
strength,  located  its  cattle,  and  decided  the  direction 
in  which  they  should  be  driven.  All  this  so  occu 
pied  his  attention,  that  he  failed  to  discover  the 
presence  of  Rex  Harden,  who  had  also  planned  a  raid 
on  the  Mexican  cavallado,  but  had  fallen  asleep 
while  awaiting  a  favorable  opportunity  to  carry  out 
his  design. 

When  quiet  at  length  reigned  in  the  camp,  and  its 
drowsy  guards  were  almost  as  oblivious  to  threatened 
danger  as  their  sleeping  comrades,  Cochito  uttered 
the  wailing  bark  of  a  wolf,  that  summoned  his  com 
rades  and  aroused  Tawny's  suspicions. 

Soon  after  the  utterance  of  that  signal,  the  young 
Comanches  were  gliding  like  shadows  among  the 
Mexican  cattle,  loosing  tethers  and  cutting  picket 
ropes.  Within  two  minutes,  every  animal  was  free, 
and  the  young  warriors,  mounted  on  four  of  the 
fleetest,  were  driving  the  stampeded  herd,  with 
fiendish  yells,  towards  the  open  prairie.  Rex  and 
Tawny  were  directly  in  their  path,  and,  while  the 
latter,  snapping  his  picket  rope  as  though  it  had 
been  a  pack  thread,  was  swept  away  in  the  mad  rush, 
his  master  was  overwhelmed  by  it,  and  trampled 
beneath  a  score  of  flying  feet. 

The  young  Comanches,  exulting  over  their  glorious 
coup,  kept  their  stolen  herd  in  motion  until  daylight, 
when  they  corralled  it  on  a  narrow  point  of  timber 
that  projected  into  the  river.  Here  they  rested, 


126  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

prepared  food,  and  waited  patiently  until  the  Mexi 
cans  should  depart. 

They  were  startled  by  the  sound  of  the  volley  that 
was  fired  at  poor  Rex  ;  and  Cochito,  taking  one  com 
panion  with  him,  rode  in  that  direction,  to  learn  its 
cause.  This  time,  the  Comanche  leader  was  mounted 
on  Tawny,  whom  he  had  selected  at  first  sight,  as 
being  the  finest  animal  of  the  captured  herd.  Al 
though  the  spirited  animal  had  fought  savagely  for 
his  liberty,  he  could  no  more  dismount  the  young 
Indian  who  now  bestrode  him  than  he  could  have 
shaken  off  his  own  head ;  for  Cochito  was  one  of  the 
best  riders  in  a  tribe  noted  the  world  over  for  horse 
manship. 

Cautiously  making  their  way  towards  the  Mexican 
camp,  the  Indian  lads  soon  discovered  that  it  had 
been  vacated,  and  caught  sight  of  its  recent  occu 
pants  just  disappearing  on  the  northern  trail.  When 
they  were  wholly  lost  to  view,  Cochito  sent  his  com 
panion  back  to  summon  the  others  and  bring  up  the 
animals.  Then  he  rode  boldly  into  the  deserted 
camp,  and  dismounting,  began  eagerly  to  examine 
the  spoils  that  his  skill  had  won. 

His  eyes  glittered  and  his  heart  swelled  with 
pride  as  he  gloated  over  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
the  treasure  that  was  now  his,  and  which  would 
make  him  rich,  famous,  and  envied,  could  he  but 
convey  it  safely  to  his  distant  home  on  the  Nueces. 
Engrossed  as  he  was  with  this  pleasing  occupation, 


SAVED  BY   COCHITO   THE   COMANCHE  127 

he  did  not  wholly  forget  the  splendid  horse  which 
would,  after  all,  be  his  proudest  trophy,  nor  loosen 
his  hold  on  Tawny 's  bridle.  All  at  once  the  fretting 
animal  tossed  his  head,  sniffed  the  air  keenly,  uttered 
a  shrill  neigh,  gave  a  sudden  leap  that  freed  him  from 
the  young  Indian's  detaining  grasp,  and  bounded 
away. 

For  a  moment  Cochito  was  overcome  with  chagrin 
at  having  his  chief  prize  thus  slip  through  his  hands; 
but,  to  his  surprise,  the  horse,  instead  of  galloping 
out  of  sight,  only  went  a  few  rods  and  then  stopped. 
He  was  partially  concealed  behind  a  clump  of  bushes, 
and,  with  lowered  head,  seemed  to  be  feeding. 

Seeing  a  chance  of  recovering  him,  Cochito  crept 
cautiously  in  that  direction,  and,  to  his  unbounded 
amazement,  discovered  that  the  horse  was  standing 
over  a  prostrate  human  form.  A  single  glance 
showed  this  to  be  a  white  lad  of  about  his  own  age, 
and  apparently  dead.  Excited  as  he  was  by  this 
discovery,  he  did  not  neglect  to  secure  the  horse 
that  had  led  him  to  it,  and  which  now  refused  to 
move  away  from  his  beloved  young  master. 

As  Cochito  gazed  curiously  at  this  his  newest  find, 
something  caused  him  to  suspect  that  the  white  lad 
might  not  be  dead,  after  all,  and,  hastily  fastening 
Tawny  to  a  tree,  he  ran  to  the  river  for  water. 
When  he  returned,  his  comrades  had  also  reached 
the  camp.  They  were  equally  excited  as  himself 
over  the  finding  of  Rex,  and  promptly  suggested 


128  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

that  his  scalp  would  be  more  highly  appreciated  in 
their  village  than  any  other  trophy  they  could  carry 
in. 

"  But  he  is  not  dead,"  objected  Cochito. 

"Let  us  then  kill  him,"  said  one  of  the  others, 
drawing  a  keen-edged  knife  as  he  spoke. 

"  Not  so  !  "  cried  Cochito,  putting  out  a  detaining 
hand  as  the  other  leaned  over  Rex  to  execute  his 
purpose.  "It  would  be  foolish  to  kill  him  while 
there  is  a  chance  of  reviving  him  and  taking  him  in 
as  a  prisoner.  Think  of  the  glory  that  will  then  be 
ours.  We  have  already  scalps,  horses,  and  much 
booty.  If  we  can  also  carry  home  a  prisoner,  and 
an  American  at  that,  are  there  any  four  warriors  of 
the  Comanche  nation  who  could  do  more  ?  Let  us 
then  revive  this  young  man  if  it  be  possible,  and 
lead  him  captive  into  our  village.  Then  shall  the 
warriors  greet  us  as  brothers,  the  old  men  will  ad 
mit  us  to  their  councils,  and  the  maidens  will  sing 
of  our  brave  deeds  in  every  Comanche  lodge." 

With  this  plea  was  Rex  Harden's  life  saved  ;  for 
so  alluring  was  the  picture  thus  presented  by  Cochito, 
that  his  comrades  immediately  agreed  to  his  proposal, 
and  lent  willing  aid  to  restoring  the  consciousness 
of  their  prisoner. 

The  bringing  back  to  life  one  who  has  approached 
the  very  confines  of  death  is  always  a  tedious  task, 
and  the  present  case  proved  no  exception  to  the 
rule.  For  more  than  an  hour  did  Cochito  work 


SAVED   BY   COCHITO   THE   COMANCHE  129 

over  the  motionless  form  of  the  white  lad  who, 
he  had  determined,  should  grace  as  a  captive  his 
triumphant  home-going.  As  to  what  might  hap 
pen  to  the  prisoner  after  that,  he  did  not  care  to 
consider.  He  would  probably  be  put  to  death  in 
such  manner  as  the  council  of  warriors  might  decide, 
for  that  was  the  fate  of  all  prisoners.  To  get 
him  to  the  village  alive  and  strong  was  the  great 
thing. 

So  Cochito  worked  over  Rex  long  after  his  com 
rades  had  given  up  the  task  of  restoration  as  hope 
less,  and  turned  their  attention  to  the  plunder  that 
lay  scattered  on  all  sides.  He  brought  water  and 
dashed  it  in  the  lad's  face.  He  stripped  him,  and 
was  amazed  to  discover  no  sign  of  a  wound  other 
than  innumerable  bruises  on  all  parts  of  the  body  in 
which  he  strove  to  restore  circulation  by  means  of 
friction. 

At  length  his  efforts  seemed  about  to  be  crowned 
with  success.  A  faint  color  came  into  the  white 
lad's  face,  a  movement  of  his  heart  was  distinctly 
perceptible,  and  he  began  to  draw  gasping  breaths. 
Cochito  was  confident  that  in  another  minute  the 
captive  would  open  his  eyes,  and  he  watched  for  this 
to  happen  with  a  curious  interest.  During  his  short 
career  he  had  seen  many  a  man  killed  ;  but  this 
was  the  first  apparently  dead  person  whom  he  had 
watched  return  to  life.  He  bent  low  over  Rex  to 
catch  a  sound  of  the  heart-beats  that  were  becoming 


130  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

stronger  with  each  minute,  and  as  he  did  so,  a  rifle- 
ball  whistled  close  above  his  head. 

In  an  instant  the  young  Indian  had  sprung  to  his 
feet,  leaped  on  Tawny's  back,  and  was  off  like  the 
wind  ;  while  behind  him,  with  ringing  shouts  and 
fierce  yells,  half  a  dozen  mounted  Texans  charged 
the  camp. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

POSITIONS   AKE   REVEESED 

Two  of  Cochito's  comrades  were  almost  as  quick 
as  he  to  gain  their  ponies  and  take  instant  flight  at 
the  crash  of  rifle-shots  that  was  their  first  intima 
tion  of  danger.  The  third  lay  motionless  where 
the  fatal  Texas  bullet  had  overtaken  him.  Satis 
fied  with  their  easily  gained  victory,  the  Texans 
did  not  pursue  the  surviving  Comanches,  but  turned 
their  attention  to  the  contents  of  the  camp  they 
had  just  captured.  Their  leader,  a  grizzle-bearded 
man  of  middle  age,  sprang  from  his  horse  beside 
the  white  lad,  whom  he  believed  Cochito,  bending 
over  him,  had  been  about  to  kill.  He  was  amazed 
to  find  a  youth,  naked  and  bruised,  but  apparently 
unwounded,  who  lay  motionless,  staring  at  him  with 
dazed  eyes. 

"  Well,  young  man,  you  surely  had  a  close  call," 
began  the  Texan,  "  for  that  Injun  had  you  foul  and 
would  have  knifed  you  inside  of  another  second. 
What  in  —  " 

«  Water  !  "  whispered  Rex. 

41  Eh!     What's  that!" 

131 


132  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  Water  !  "  repeated  the  boy,  making  a  great  effort 
to  speak  louder. 

"  Oh,  water  !  To  be  sure,  you  do  look  dry.  Hi, 
Zile  !  Bring  some  water,  will  you  ?  while  I  get 
this  chap  to  rights." 

With  this  the  big  man  lifted  Rex  into  a  sitting 
posture,  and  had  partially  reclothed  him  by  the 
time  the  longed-for  water  arrived.  How  delicious 
it  was,  and  how  it  sent  new  life  pulsing  through 
every  vein !  Is  there  anything  on  earth  so  blessed 
as  water  ?  With  a  single  draught  of  its  magic 
Rex  could  speak  aloud  ;  and,  by  the  time  he  had 
drunk  all  they  would  allow,  his  strength  was  so 
restored  that  he  could  question  his  rescuers. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  asked,  "  and  how  did  you 
manage  to  save  me  from  the  Mexicans  ?  " 

"  Injuns,  you  mean,  lad,  though  it's  much  the 
same.  My  name  is  Milam,  Colonel  Ben  Milam, 
just  escaped  from  Monterey  prison  and  got  back 
in  time  to  help  the  boys  take  Goliad.  Now  we 
are  on  our  way  to  San  Antonio  to  take  a  hand  in 
driving  the  last  greaser  out  of  Texas.  But  how 
did  you  chance  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  these 
cursed  Injuns  ?  " 

"  You  mean  Mexicans,  of  course,"  replied  Rex, 
with  a  faint  smile.  "  I  haven't  seen  any  Indians, 
but  was  tied  up  to  be  shot  by  a  party  of  Mexican 
soldiers.  I  don't  see  why  I  wasn't  shot  and  why 
I'm  not  dead  at  this  minute,"  he  continued,  with 


POSITIONS  ARE   REVERSED  133 

a  perplexed  air,  "for  I  can  remember  seeing  the 
guns  pointed  right  at  me,  and  hearing  the  order 
to  fire.  Then  there  was  a  stunning  roar,  and  all 
was  over.  So  I  am  certain  I  must  be  full  of  bullet 
holes.  Can't  you  see  them,  sir  ?  " 

"  Nary  hole,"  answered  Colonel  Milam  ;  "  you  look 
as  though  you'd  been  pounded  a  right  smart,  but 
otherwise  you  are  as  sound  as  a  bottle.  What  did 
you  say  your  name  was  ?  " 

"  I  don't  believe  I  said.  But  it  is  Harden, 
Rector  Harden,  and  I  belong  to  the  Texas  army." 

"  Not  a  son  of  Squire  Harden  of  the  Herrera  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir  ;  he  is  my  father." 

"  Good  enough  !  Old  Ben  Milam  hasn't  come  back 
to  Texas  for  nothing,  after  all.  Why,  boy,  Squire 
Harden  is  one  of  my  dearest  friends,  and  I'd  gladly 
risk  my  life  any  time  to  save  a  son  of  his  from  the 
Injuns.  But  how  did  the  bloody  —  " 

"  Mexicans,"  interrupted  Rex.  "  They  were  Mex 
icans,  colonel,  and  not  Indians  at  all." 

"  Look  here,  son,"  rejoined  the  other,  sternly, 
"it's  lucky  for  you  that  you  are  weak  and  light 
headed,  for  I  don't  like  being  told  than  I  can't 
make  out  an  Injun  from  a  greaser,  far  as  I  can 
see  them.  Say,  boys,  what  were  the  chaps  that  we 
jumped  out  of  this  camp  ?  " 

"Injuns,  of  course,"  promptly  responded  one  of 
the  men  who  had  listened  to  this  conversation,  "  and 
one  of  'em's  lying  dead  over  yonder  now." 


134  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

Before  Rex  could  frame  an  answer  to  this  direct 
statement  a  rush  of  galloping  hoofs  caused  the 
Texans  to  spring  to.  their  rifles.  Ere  they  could 
use  them,  a  single  horseman,  reeling  in  his  seat 
and  struggling  weakly  to  retain  it,  appeared  among 
them.  Beside  Rex  Harden  the  horse  stopped  so 
suddenly  that  its  rider  was  flung  heavily  to  the 
ground. 

"  Why,  it's  Tawny !  "  exclaimed  Rex,  in  amaze 
ment. 

"  An  Injun  !  "  cried  Colonel  Milam,  springing  up 
with  levelled  rifle,  "and,  as  I  live,  the  very  one 
that  was  bending  over  you  when  we  came.  Take 
that,  you  red  devil  !  " 

As  he  spoke,  he  fired,  aiming  point  blank  at 
Cochito's  head,  and  holding  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle 
not  more  than  a  yard  away. 

With  an  effort  of  strength,  that  one  moment 
before  would  have  been  impossible,  Rex  threw  him 
self  forward  and  struck  the  rifle.  It  was  a  feeble 
blow,  but  it  deflected  the  murderous  barrel  a  couple 
of  inches,  and  the  bullet  intended  for  the  young 
Indian  buried  itself  harmlessly  in  the  ground. 

"  He  is  my  prisoner,  for  my  horse  has  brought  him 
to  me,"  cried  the  boy,  almost  choked  with  excitement. 
"  As  such  I  am  responsible  for  him,  and  I  forbid  you 
to  harm  him,  sir." 

"  Upon  my  word  !  "  exclaimed  Colonel  Ben  Milam, 
"  when  he  was  about  to  kill  you  not  more  than  five 


POSITIONS   ARE    REVERSED  ^       136 

minutes  ago,  and  would  have  done  it  too,  if  we  had 
not  come  along  just  at  that  time." 

"  If  he  was  bending  over  me,  as  you  say,  colonel, 
it  is  my  belief  that  he  was  trying  to  save  my  life  and 
not  to  take  it,  for  they  were  Mexicans  who  tried  to 
kill  me,  and  even  now  I  can't  understand  why  they 
didn't  succeed.  At  any  rate,  this  horse  is  mine,  lost 
to  me  since  last  evening,  and  whether  the  Indian 
has  brought  him  back  to  me,  or  Tawny  has  brought 
the  Indian,  I  don't  know ;  but  in  either  case  I  claim 
them  both." 

"Well,"  laughed  Colonel  Milam,  "the  horse  cer 
tainly  seems  to  recognize  you  as  a  friend,  and  he,  at 
least,  is  worth  having.  As  for  the  Injun,  I  suppose 
we  must  allow  your  claim  to  him  too,  if  you  want 
him,  though  I  can't  imagine  what  use  any  white  man 
can  have  for  a  live  Injun.  If  you'll  take  my  ad 
vice,  you'll  let  me  put  him  out  of  his  misery,  for  he's 
badly  wounded  and  'pears  more'n  half  dead  anyway." 

"  So  he  is  wounded,"  agreed  Rex,  glancing  pity 
ingly  at  the  young  Indian,  who  lay  where  he  had 
been  flung  from  Tawny's  back.  He  was  bleeding 
freely  from  the  bullet  hole  in  his  thigh,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  his  very  life  were  ebbing  away  with  the 
crimson  flow. 

"  He  mustn't  die,  though,  if  we  can  prevent  it,  and 
for  the  sake  of  your  friendship  with  my  father,  you 
will  help  me  fix  him  up,  won't  you,  colonel?  " 

44  Well,  lad,  if  you  put  it  that  way,  I  suppose  I  must 


136  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

do  what  I  can  for  the  young  whelp,"  answered  Milam  ; 
"  though  trying  to  bring  back  to  life  an  Injun,  that 
ought  by  rights  to  be  dead,  will  surely  be  a  new 
experience  for  yours  truly." 

Cochito's  wound,  though  bleeding  profusely  and 
ugly  to  look  at,  was  not  otherwise  serious  nor  did  it 
carry  any  broken  bones.  After  the  flow  of  blood 
was  staunched,  and  it  had  been  dressed  with  rude 
skill,  the  young  Indian  was  placed  on  an  outspread 
blanket  near  Rex,  and  both  lads  were  left  in  quiet 
to  renew  their  strength  as  best  they  could. 

The  Texans  were  well  content  to  spend  a  day  and 
a  night  where  they  were  ;  for,  besides  having  plenty 
to  do  in  collecting  the  thrice-scattered  herd  that 
both  Mexicans  and  Indians  had  destined  to  carry 
their  plunder,  and  which  the  new-comers  now  pro 
posed  to  use  for  the  same  purpose,  they  were  not 
anxious  to  overtake  the  strong  force  of  the  enemy 
that  Rex  assured  them  was  but  a  short  distance 
ahead.  He  compiled  this  information  partly  from 
what  he  knew,  and  partly  from  what  Cochito,  who 
could  speak  Mexican  fairly  well,  told  him  as  they 
lay  near  each  other  on  their  blankets. 

From  the  young  Indian,  too,  Rex  gained  a  clear 
idea  of  much  that  had  happened  to  himself  since  the 
preceding  evening,  though  how  he  had  been  shot  by 
his  Mexican  captors  without  being  killed  or  even 
wounded  was  still  a  mystery.  So  the  white  lad  and 
the  Indian  learned  much  concerning  each  other  that 


POSITIONS  ARE    REVERSED  137 

day  ;  for  the  latter,  knowing  that  he  owed  his  life  to 
Rex,  talked  to  him  with  the  freedom  of  a  brother. 

With  the  coming  of  night  the  Texans  did  not 
deem  it  necessary  to  secure  the  young  Indian,  for 
they  believed  him  to  be  too  severely  wounded  to 
make  even  an  attempt  at  escape.  So  he  was  allowed 
to  lie  near  Rex,  unwatched  and  apparently  buried  in 
profound  slumber.  Wolves  howled  about  the  camp 
from  greater  or  less  distances,  but  this  sound  was 
then  so  common  in  all  parts  of  Texas  that  the  guards 
who  relieved  each  other  every  two  hours  paid  no 
attention  to  it.  Only  Tawny,  securely  tethered  close 
by  his  young  master,  occasionally  tossed  his  head  and 
moved  uneasily. 

With  earliest  daylight  the  man  then  on  guard 
replenished  the  camp-fire  and  taking  a  kettle  went  to 
the  river  for  water.  As  he  passed  the  spot  where 
Rex  and  his  prisoner  lay,  he  noticed  that  the  latter 
had  drawn  the  blanket  over  his  head  so  as  to  entirely 
conceal  it. 

"Curious,"  reflected  the  guard,  "how  Injuns  and 
greasers  hate  to  breathe  fresh  air." 

He  lingered  at  the  river  long  enough  to  plunge 
his  face  in  its  cool  waters  and  perform  a  rough 
toilet.  Then,  noting  the  advance  of  dawn,  he  said 
to  himself  that  it  was  high  time  to  turn  the  stock 
out  to  grass.  At  the  same  moment  there  came  to 
him  a  sound  of  movement  among  the  horses,  a 
snorting  and  a  trampling  of  hoofs. 


138  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  Some  of  the  other  boys  must  have  woke  up  and 
are  turning  out  the  critters,"  said  the  man,  and  thus 
thinking,  he  strolled  leisurely  back  to  camp.  He 
wondered  at  not  meeting  the  herd  on  its  way  to  the 
river  as  he  went,  and  was  still  more  surprised  to  see 
that  his  comrades  still  slept.  Only  Colonel  Milam 
was  sitting  up  and  yawning. 

"  What  have  you  done  with  the  horses,  Bill  ?  "  he 
demanded  at  sight  of  the  guard. 

"I  haint  done  nothing  with  'em,  colonel.  Didn't 
you  turn  'em  loose  ?  If  you  didn't,  who  in  thunder 
did?" 

"  No,  I  did  not,"  rejoined  the  leader,  springing 
to  his  feet.  "But  I  thought  of  course  that  you 
had.  Hello,  men!  Tumble  out  I  Something's  gone 
wrong! " 


CHAPTER  XVII 

IN  THE  ANCIENT   MISSION   OF   LA   ESPADA 

IT  was  quickly  evident  to  the  occupants  of  the 
camp  that  something  had  very  decidedly  gone 
wrong,  as  they  ran  excitedly  to  where  their  stock 
had  been  secured  for  the  night,  and  found  no  trace 
of  them,  save  a  broad  trail  leading  towards  the 
prairie.  Every  horse  but  one,  including  those  of 
the  Texans,  had  disappeared.  The  one  remaining 
was  Tawny. 

Several  of  the  men  had  started  on  foot  to  follow 
the  trail,  and  Rex,  awakened  by  the  confusion,  was 
wondering  what  it  was  all  about  when  Colonel 
Milam  hurried  over  to  him. 

"  Our  stock's  been  run  off,  Harden,"  he  said,  "  and 
I  want  to  borrow  your  horse  to  follow  the  thieves 
at  least  far  enough  to  find  out  who  they  are." 

"All  right,  colonel,  you  are  welcome,  if  you  can 
ride  him." 

Without  replying  to  this  insinuation,  save  by  a 
contemptuous  snort,  the  man  attempted  to  spring 
on  Tawny 's  back.  He  was  not  an  expert  horseman, 
judged  from  the  Texan  standpoint,  and  as  Tawny 
always  objected  to  any  authority  save  that  of  his 

139 


140  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

young  master,  the  colonel  at  once  found  himself 
engaged  in  a  struggle  that  bade  fair  to  last  all  day. 
So  fierce  was  Tawny's  attitude  that,  after  several 
futile  attempts  to  mount  him,  the  Texan  was  glad 
of  an  excuse  to  withdraw  from  the  contest. 

He  found  it  in  glancing  at  Cochito's  sleeping- 
place,  which  was  apparently  still  occupied  by  the 
young  Comanche,  lying  motionless,  partially  con 
cealed  by  an  overhanging  bush,  and  with  a  blanket 
drawn  over  his  head. 

"  Hello  !  What  has  happened  to  your  prisoner  ?  " 
cried  Colonel  Milam.  "  He  must  be  dead,  not  to 
wake  up  with  all  this  racket." 

Thus  saying,  he  desisted  from  his  struggle  with 
Tawny,  stepped  over  to  the  place  and  pulled  down 
the  blanket.  Beneath  it  lay  a  log  of  wood. 

"  Euchered,  by  thunder  !  "  exclaimed  the  Texan. 
"  Euchered  by  a  half -dead  Injun,  and  a  boy  at  that. 
Seems  to  me,  Ben  Milam,  you'd  better  take  to  pick 
ing  huckleberries  for  a  living,  or  doing  something 
else  more  in  your  line  than  setting  up  to  be  a  leader 
of  Texas  rangers.  Euchered  by  an  Injun  kid ! 
'Nough  to  make  a  dog  sick !  Ugh !  "  Here  the 
humiliated  soldier  spat  fiercely  in  token  of  his  dis 
gust. 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  me  follow  them,  sir  ?  " 
inquired  Rex,  sympathetically.  "  The  horse  is  used 
to  me,  you  know,  and  —  " 

"  Follow  nothing  !  "  interrupted  the  other,  angrily. 


IN  THE  ANCIENT  MISSION  OF  LA  ESPADA        141 

"  You  ain't  fit,  to  begin  with,  and  'twouldn't  do  any 
good,  if  you  were.  No,  son,  we'll  just  swallow  our 
medicine  like  little  men,  allow  we're  beat,  and  mosey 
along  toward  San  Antonio  on  foot  the  same  as  others 
have  had  to  do  before  us.  Don't  you  wish  now  you'd 
let  me  kill  the  young  devil,  though  ?  " 

"  No,  colonel,  I  don't,"  replied  Rex,  stoutly.  "  I 
am  glad  he's  alive,  and  I'm  glad  he  has  got  away  too, 
for  I  know  he  saved  my  life,  and  so  I  should  have 
been  responsible  for  his  as  long  as  he  was  a  prisoner. 
Of  course  I'm  awfully  sorry  that  your  stock  has  been 
run  off,  and  if  you  will  ride  my  horse,  he  is  at  your 
service  until  we  reach  San  Antonio." 

"Thanks,"  returned  the  other,  with  a  quizzical 
glance  at  Tawny,  who  was  gazing  steadfastly  at  him, 
evidently  in  expectation  of  renewed  hostilities.  "  I 
don't  believe  I  care  to  ride  your  critter  under  the 
circumstances.  The  other  boys  might  think  I  was 
proud,  and  as  long  as  they  have  got  to  hoof  it,  I 
guess  I'll  do  the  same.  It  isn't  the  losing  of  the 
stock  I  mind  so  much,  you  understand,  —  for  there's  a 
plenty  more  horses  to  be  had  in  Texas,  —  but  it's  the 
idea  of  an  old  Injun  fighter  like  me  being  euchered  by 
a  single  Comanche,  and  him  a  boy,  wounded  at  that." 

"  Of  course  he  couldn't  have  done  it  alone,"  sug 
gested  Rex,  anxious  to  offer  consolation.  "  The  two 
who  escaped  must  have  met  friends  and  led  them 
back  here.  For  my  part,  I  think  we  are  mighty 
lucky  to  be  wearing  our  scalps  at  this  minute." 


142  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

"I  guess  you  are  right,  son,"  rejoined  Colonel 
Milam,  brightening  visibly.  "  Of  course  that  young 
whelp  couldn't  have  done  it  alone,  as  you  say. 
In  fact,  I  don't  see  how  he  got  away  with  himself. 
Sure  you  didn't  hear  anything  during  the  night?  " 

"  Not  a  sound,"  replied  Rex. 

"  Well,  it  is  certain  they  must  have  been  a  strong 
party.  Same  time,  it  was  shameful  for  us  to  let 
'em  run  off  our  stock,  and  I  should  like  to  kick  my 
self  all  the  way  from  here  to  San  Antonio." 

The  other  Texans  were  in  much  the  same  mood  as 
their  leader,  and  when,  after  destroying  everything 
in  the  camp  that  could  not  be  carried  away,  they 
started  northward  on  foot,  —  a  method  of  travel  that 
all  Texans  abhor,  —  they  formed  a  very  crestfallen 
company. 

For  three  days  they  marched,  and  on  the  evening 
of  the  third  reached  the  lonely  mission  of  La  Espada, 
about  nine  miles  south  of  San  Antonio.  Not  a  soul 
was  to  be  seen  in  its  vicinity.  Priests  and  converts, 
soldiers  and  laborers,  Spaniards  and  Indians,  all  had 
vanished.  The  beautiful  church,  with  its  chime  of 
bells,  its  frescoes,  and  its  grilles  of  wrought  iron,  was 
open  and  empty.  The  long  ranges  of  arched  colon 
nades  were  dark  and  silent,  and  the  strong  bastion 
towers  were  without  defenders. 

But  everywhere  were  evidences  that  the  old  mis 
sion  had  recently  been  occupied  by  an  army.  Had 
it  been  a  force  of  Mexicans,  or  had  Austin's  men 


IN   THE  ANCIENT   MISSION   OF   LA  ESPADA        143 

rested  here  ?  Had  one  driven  the  other  out  ?  and  if 
so,  which  side  had  been  victorious  ?  These  were  the 
questions  asked  of  each  other  by  Milam's  little  party 
as  they  prepared  to  pass  the  night  in  the  deserted 
plaza  of  the  old  mission. 

While  the  others  prepared  a  supper  of  venison 
killed  that  day,  Rex  strolled  through  the  long  rows 
of  deserted  buildings,  wondering  at  the  thickness  of 
their  walls,  admiring  the  beauty  of  their  arches,  and 
trying  to  picture  to  himself  the  many  strange  scenes 
they  had  witnessed.  As  he  walked  he  was  attracted 
by  a  soft  rustling  above  his  head,  and,  looking  up, 
saw  that  it  was  caused  by  the  wings  of  innumerable 
bats  that  were  swarming  from  an  aperture  high  up 
in  the  wall  of  one  of  the  ruined  buildings.  Curious 
to  see  where  they  came  from,  he  sought  an  entrance, 
and  stepped  inside. 

The  interior  was  filled  with  gloom,  but  he  was 
able  to  see  his  way  into  a  lofty  hall  along  two  sides 
of  which  opened  ranges  of  small  cell-like  rooms. 
Overhead  the  bats  were  flitting  in  incredible  num 
bers  and  with  sharp  mouse-like  squeakings.  Having 
satisfied  his  curiosity,  and  shivering  with  the  chill  of 
his  gloomy  surroundings,  Rex  was  about  to  retrace 
his  steps,  when  he  was  startled  by  the  unmistakable 
cry  of  a  babe  coming  from  close  at  hand.  It  was 
checked  so  promptly  as  to  suggest  that  a  hand  had 
been  clapped  over  the  child's  mouth  ;  but  the  alarm 
had  been  given. 


144  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

"  Who  is  there  ?  "  challenged  the  boy,  speaking 
in  Mexican  and  at  the  same  time  feeling  decidedly 
nervous. 

There  was  no  answer. 

"  Who  lives  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  Answer  quickly, 
or  I  will  bring  men  with  torches  and  guns." 

44 Oh,  seiior,"  cried  a  trembling  voice,  "have  pity 
on  an  unfortunate  woman,  and  do  not  betray  her 
to  the  cruel  Tejanos." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  and  how  many  are  with  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  alone,  sefior,  except  for  my  little  one,  and 
it  was  through  him  that  I  could  not  fly  with  the 
others,  for  he  is  ill.  I  am  the  wife  of  Sebastien 
Tejada,  who  was  left  in  charge  of  the  mission  by 
Padre  Tomasso,  but  the  General  Cos  compelled  him 
to  go  into  Bexar  to  serve  as  a  soldier.  He  would 
not  fight  the  Tejanos,  indeed  he  would  not,  but  that 
he  is  compelled." 

"  But  why  do  you  hide  ? "  queried  Rex  of  the 
still  unseen  woman.  "  The  Texans  do  not  make  war 
on  women  or  children,  nor  harm  them." 

"  Ah,  seiior,  if  you  had  but  heard  what  has  been 
told  us  of  them.  It  is  even  said  that  they  eat  infants 
as  do  los  Indies.  Thus  when  an  army  of  them  came 
to  this  place,  we  of  the  mission  fled  and  remained  in 
hiding  until  yesterday,  when  they  marched  away. 
Then  some  of  us  returned,  but  when  we  saw  more 
of  the  Tejanos  coming  this  very  evening,  the  others 
again  ran  away ;  but  I  could  not,  fearing  that  my 


IN   THE  ANCIENT  MISSION   OF   LA  ESPADA        115 

little  one  would  die.  So  I  hid  myself  in  this  place, 
hoping  that  the  devourers  of  infants  would  speedily 
depart.  Now,  therefore,  if  the  kind  seiior  will  but 
show  pity  and  go  away,  leaving  me  and  the  little 
Sebastien  in  peace,  I  will  never  cease  to  pray  for 
him  to  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe." 

For  a  moment  Rex  was  puzzled  as  to  what  he 
ought  to  do.  Those  cells  might  swarm  with  Mexi 
cans  only  awaiting  a  favorable  opportunity  for 
attacking  Milam's  little  company.  Then,  again,  the 
woman  might  truly  be  alone  and  in  trouble,  in 
which  case  she  must  not  be  left  to  pass  the  night  in 
that  gloomy  place.  Finally  he  said  : 

"  If  you  will  prove  the  truth  of  your  words,  by 
going  with  me  to  the  captain  of  the  Texans,  I  will 
pledge  in  the  name  of  my  father  that  you  shall  not 
be  harmed.  I  am  the  son  of  Squire  Harden  of  the 
Rancho  Herrera." 

"  The  Seiior  Harden  I  know  by  report  to  be  a  good 
man,"  replied  the  voice,  "  and  so  I  will  trust  you  and 
do  as  you  request,  for  I  am  indeed  hungry  and  fright 
ened,  while  my  little  Sebastien  is  so  ill  that  I  am 
distracted." 

With  this  a  shadowy  form  stepped  forth  from  one 
of  the  black  arches,  and  as  Rex  gladly  left  the  build 
ing,  it  followed  him.  He  led  the  way  directly  to 
Colonel  Milam's  camp-fire,  where  his  arrival  aroused 
the  greatest  curiosity. 

The    chivalrous    Texan    not    only    believed    the 


146  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

woman's  story,  but  was  more  than  willing  to  aid 
her  because  of  kindnesses  recently  shown  him  by  the 
women  of  Monterey.  So  the  wife  of  Sebastien 
Tejada  was  fed  and  treated  with  all  possible  courtesy, 
while  the  sufferings  of  her  child  were  greatly  re 
lieved  by  the  kindly  care  of  several  rude  nurses,  who 
were  also  parents  and  treated  it  with  the  skill  gained 
from  experience. 

In  return  for  this  kindness,  the  grateful  woman 
told  them  that  Austin's  army,  having  camped  for 
several  days  at  La  Espada,  had  just  advanced  to  the 
Mission  Concepcion,  seven  miles  nearer  to  the  city, 
and  that  a  battle  between  them  and  the  troops  under 
General  Cos  was  expected  to  take  place  very  shortly. 

"  Hurrah  for  Texas  !  "  shouted  Milam's  followers 
when  this  was  translated  to  them.  "  That's  what  we 
want.  Let's  push  on  to-night,  boys,  so  as  to  be  on 
hand  when  the  fun  begins  !  " 

But  their  leader  advised  them  to  spend  the  night 
in  resting,  saying  that  in  a  fight,  one  fresh  man  was 
worth  four  fagged  with  weariness  and  loss  of  sleep. 

So  the  little  company  remained  where  they  were 
until  the  following  morning.  Then,  shortly  after 
daylight,  a  dull  booming  sound  from  the  north,  un 
like  anything  most  of  them  had  ever  heard,  caused 
them  to  spring  to  their  feet  with  eager  questions  as 
to  its  cause. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 


A  THICK  fog  veiled  the  landscape  of  that  morning, 
and  through  it  the  ominous  sounds  that  had  aroused 
Rex  Harden's  companions  were  borne  to  them  with 
startling  distinctness. 

"  It  is  musketry  in  volleys,"  declared  Colonel 
Milam,  listening  intently  with  practised  ear.  "  And 
that  is  the  note  of  a  field-piece,  a  six-pounder,  if  I'm 
a  judge.  Boys,  the  war  is  on,  the  first  real  battle 
for  Texas  is  being  fought  over  yonder,  and  it  is  my 
fault  that  we  are  not  in  it." 

"  We  can  get  there  in  a  hurry,  though,  colonel," 
cried  one  of  the  men;  "and  if  the  greasers  make  any 
sort  of  a  stand,  we'll  be  in  time  to  polish  'em  off  yet. 
Come  on,  men." 

"With  this  every  Texan,  including  Colonel  Milam, 
seized  his  rifle  and,  forgetful  even  of  breakfast, 
started  on  a  run  up  the  road.  Only  Rex  was  left 
behind,  but  the  lad  knew  that,  with  Tawny's  aid,  he 
could  allow  them  nearly  an  hour's  start,  and  still 
overtake  them  ere  they  reached  the  Mission  Con- 
cepcion. 

147 


148  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

So,  in  spite  of  his  excitement,  he  gave  Tawny  a 
feed  of  corn  and  mended  the  fire,  over  which  he  pro 
posed  making  himself  a  pot  of  coffee,  besides  cook 
ing,  for  the  benefit  of  his  comrades,  such  venison  as 
had  been  left  from  the  meal  of  the  evening  before. 
Bat  he  was  not  allowed  to  do  this ;  for  while  he  was 
still  engaged  with  the  fire,  the  woman  whom  he  had 
befriended  appeared  beside  him. 

Sebastien  Tejada's  wife  was  very  slight  and  girl 
ish  in  appearance  ;  but  with  the  confidence  gained 
from  matrimony  she  did  not  hesitate  to  assume 
immediate  charge  of  the  present  culinary  operations, 
only  bidding  Rex  fetch  her  a  vessel  of  water  from 
the  river,  as  she  feared  the  well  was  polluted.  This 
our  lad  willingly  undertook,  and  as  the  river  flowed 
at  some  distance  from  the  mission,  he  was  gone  for 
several  minutes.  On  his  return  he  was  startled  to 
find,  sitting  and  lounging  about  the  fire,  a  dozen  or 
so  of  Mexicans,  four  of  whom  were  men  armed  with 
bell-mouthed  escopettas  and  rusty  sabres,  while  the 
others  were  women  and  children. 

Rex  came  upon  them  so  suddenly  that  he  was 
within  a  few  paces  of  the  group  before  seeing  it.  It 
was  then  too  late  to  retreat,  so  he  stood  where  he 
was,  returning  with  interest  the  scowling  glances 
cast  at  him. 

"  Come  and  eat  without  fear,"  said  the  mother  of 
the  little  Sebastien,  as  she  noted  his  presence. 
"  These  are  my  neighbors,  who,  having  watched  the 


SEBASTIEN   TEJ ADA'S   WIFE  149 

departure  of  los  Tejanos,  have  returned  again  to 
their  homes.  After  what  I  have  told  them  of  thy 
kindness,  they  will  not  harm  thee." 

Although  the  looks  of  hatred  cast  at  him  by  the 
four  scowling  men  were  anything  but  reassuring, 
Rex  put  on  a  bold  face,  and,  still  standing,  hastily 
disposed  of  the  simple  breakfast  prepared  for  him. 

Then,  desiring  the  woman  to  put  the  remainder  of 
the  meat  into  a  wallet,  he  walked  steadily  and  with 
out  looking  back,  to  where  Tawny  had  just  finished 
his  corn.  To  move  with  deliberation  on  that  occa 
sion  required  all  his  nerve,  for  he  knew  that  he  was 
followed  by  murderous  eyes,  and  expected  with  each 
moment  to  be  shot  at  from  behind.  So  intense  was 
this  feeling,  that  when  he  reached  Tawny 's  side,  he 
was  bathed  in  a  cold  perspiration,  and  trembling  in 
every  limb.  He  could  barely  command  strength 
to  saddle  the  horse,  and  started  as  though  he  had 
indeed  been  shot,  at  the  sound  of  a  voice  close  be 
side  him,  for  he  had  not  noted  an  approach. 

He  smiled  at  his  own  weakness  as  he  recognized 
the  woman  of  whose  friendship  he  was  assured. 
She  had  brought  the  package  of  food  for  his  com 
rades,  and  with  it  she  gave  him  a  small  silver  amu 
let  that  had  hung  by  a  thong  from  her  own  neck. 

"  If  thee  shall  meet  my  Sebastien,"  she  said  hur 
riedly,  and  in  a  low  tone,  "  give  him  this  in  token 
that  his  wife  and  child  are  safe.  Until  then  it  will 
protect  thee  from  harm.  Now  fly  with  speed,  for  I 


150  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

fear  that  evil  is  intended.  May  the  saints  protect 
thy  journey !  " 

She  had  barely  ceased  from  speaking,  when  Rex, 
with  hurried  thanks  for  her  kindness,  leaped  on 
Tawny's  back,  and  was  off.  A  single  backward 
glance  showed  him  that  the  four  men  had  disap 
peared,  and  he  believed  they  would  try  to  waylay 
him.  In  this  he  was  not  mistaken,  for  he  had  not 
gone  a  hundred  yards  beyond  the  mission  gate,  when 
he  saw  the  scowling  quartette  drawn  up  in  line 
across  the  road  that  he  must  traverse.  Four  rusty 
escopettas  were  levelled  directly  at  him,  and  though 
he  was  rapidly  learning  that  firearms  were  compara 
tively  harmless  in  the  hands  of  Mexicans,  he  realized 
that  accidents  may  always  happen.  So  he  reined 
Tawny  to  a  walk,  and  then  threw  up  his  hands. 

Believing  that  the  young  Texan  was  wholly  in 
their  power,  and  knowing  that  he  would  be  of  more 
value  to  them  alive  than  dead,  the  swarthy  bandits 
withheld  their  fire  until  he  had  approached  to  within 
a  few  paces  of  where  they  stood.  Then  two  of  them, 
lowering  their  weapons  stepped  forward  to  seize 
Tawny's  bridle. 

At  that  moment  Rex  dropped  his  hands,  dug  his 
heels  into  his  horse's  flanks,  and  gave  a  yell  that 
caused  Tawny  to  launch  himself  forward  like  a 
thunderbolt.  The  two  nearest  Mexicans  were  over 
thrown  in  a  twinkling  and  hurled  breathless  to  the 
ground.  The  others  fired  their  old  blunderbusses 


SEBASTIEN  TEJADA'S   WIFE  151 

with  a  prodigious  roar  into  empty  space,  and  Rex, 
with  an  exultant  shout,  disappeared  in  a  cloud  of 
dust  raised  by  Tawny's  flying  feet. 

Filled  with  joy  at  this  escape,  and  telling  Tawny 
what  a  clever  horse  he  was  becoming,  the  young 
Texan  pressed  rapidly  forward  until  at  the  end  of 
three  miles  he  dashed  through  the  crystal  waters  of 
a  ford  and  passed  the  ruined  buildings  of  the  Mission 
San  Juan.  Here  not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen,  and  he 
knew  that  his  comrades  were  still  in  advance. 

Two  miles  further  on  he  found  them  just  arrived 
at  San  Jose,  oldest  and  most  beautiful  of  the  Texan 
missions.  Here  they  were  so  close  to  the  scene  of 
conflict  towards  which  they  were  hastening  that  they 
could  now  hear  the  shouts  and  screams  of  the  com 
batants  mingled  with  the  roar  of  guns.  As  yet, 
however,  they  could  see  nothing,  being  unable  even 
to  distinguish  the  smoke  of  battle  through  the  screen 
of  timber  standing  between  it  and  them. 

As  he  overtook  his  comrades,  Rex  handed  them 
the  meat  that  he  had  brought,  and  which  they  seized 
with  famished  eagerness.  While  they  ate,  the  new 
comer  followed  Colonel  Milam  up  into  the  belfry 
tower  of  the  mission  church.  To  gain  it  he  skirted 
the  fagade  of  the  building  with  its  massive  doors  of 
carved  cedar  surrounded  by  exquisite  stone  sculp 
ture,  and  entered  a  narrow  doorway  at  one  side. 
Here  a  quaint  spiral  stairway  formed  of  hewn  blocks 
of  live-oak  led  him  to  the  first  floor  of  the  belfry, 


152  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

from  which  a  curious  ladder  made  of  single  logs 
deeply  notched  on  their  upper  side,  gave  access  to  the 
lookout  above.  From  this  platform  sprang  four 
graceful  arches  supporting  a  square  pyramidal  roof. 

Here  Rex  found  Colonel  Milam  gazing  eagerly 
northward  at  certain  smoke  clouds  that  less  than  a 
mile  away  mingled  above  the  tree-tops  with  the 
thinning  fog  and  drifted  slowly  westward. 

"  It's  almighty  hard  to  tell  smoke  from  fog,"  mut 
tered  Milam,  "  and  it's  a  deal  harder  to  tell  greaser 
smoke  from  Texan.  Still,  we've  got  to  find  out  some 
how  which  is  which  before  we  take  part  in  yonder 
scrimmage,  and  we  want  to  know  all  about  it  in  a 
hurry  too." 

"Why  can't  I  ride  ahead,  sir,  and  pick  up  the 
information  you  want  ?  "  suggested  Rex. 

"  Hello  !  are  you  here  ?  "  exclaimed  the  colonel. 
"  I'm  glad  you've  come  ;  but  do  you  know  the  danger 
of  what  you  have  just  proposed  to  do  ?  You'll  have 
to  ride  much  closer  to  those  chaps  than  is  either 
pleasant  or  safe,  in  order  to  discover  which  is  which, 
how  many  there  are  on  each  side,  how  they  are  posted, 
and  what  they  are  doing.  But  those  are  the  very 
things  I  want  to  know.  You  must  go  and  get  back 
within  fifteen  minutes  too,  for  we  won't  wait  longer 
than  that  before  pushing  to  the  front.  Do  you  still 
want  the  job  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  if  I'm  not  back  within  fifteen  min 
utes,  I'll  not  come  back  at  all.  Good-by." 


SEBASTIEN  TEJADA'S  WIFE  153 

Thus  saying,  Rex  sprang  down  the  rude  stairway 
of  the  belfry  tower,  ran  to  where  he  had  left  Tawny, 
and  rode  away.  When  he  got  so  near  to  the  scene  of 
conflict  that  the  rattle  of  musketry  seemed  to  come 
from  all  sides  of  him,  and  he  could  plainly  see  the 
leaping  flashes  of  fire  between  the  trees,  the  young 
scout  dismounted  and  crept  still  closer.  Crouching 
low,  he  moved  swiftly  from  one  shelter  to  another, 
until  at  length  he  reached  an  opening  from  which 
he  commanded  a  partial  view  of  the  battle. 

For  it  was  a  regular  pitched  battle  between  his 
own  countrymen  and  the  soldiers  of  the  tyrant  who 
sought  to  rob  them  of  their  liberties.  In  a  horse 
shoe  formed  by  the  winding  river,  and  from  behind 
a  slight  natural  embankment,  rang  out  the  Texas 
rifles.  But  those  deliberately  aimed  and  deadly 
shots  were  very  few  as  compared  with  the  volleys  of 
musketry  that  crashed  almost  without  interval  from 
close  at  hand.  It  needed  not  a  second  glance  at  the 
tawdry  uniforms  and  swarthy  faces  of  the  troops 
who  were  thus  burning  such  quantities  of  powder 
with  so  slight  effect,  to  know  that  they  were 
Mexicans.  Beyond  them  Rex  could  see  still  other 
flashings  of  fire  and  clouds  of  smoke. 

"  How  we  could  astonish  these  fellows  by  making  an 
attack  on  them  from  this  side,"  he  thought.  "  It  would 
simply  scare  them  stiff,  and  this  is  the  very  place,  too. 
A  dozen  rifles  here  will  be  as  good  as  a  regiment,  and 
I'll  have  them  here,  too,  inside  of  ten  minutes." 


154  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

What  he  had  to  do  was  very  plain,  and  the  result 
appeared  so  certain  that  Rex  seemed  to  see  the  battle 
already  won,  and  largely  through  his  efforts.  But 
suddenly  something  happened. 

He  was  just  beginning  to  creep  away  from  his 
dangerous  proximity  to  those  dark-skinned  soldiers, 
when  all  at  once  there  came  a  roar  of  artillery  from 
a  new  direction,  and  a  whirlwind  of  grape  mowed  a 
ghastly  lane  through  the  Mexican  ranks.  At  the 
same  moment  a  line  of  yelling  Texans,  rising  appar 
ently  from  the  ground  not  ten  paces  away,  leaped  at 
them  with  such  ferocity  that  the  terrified  soldiers 
broke  and  fled,  rushing  with  frantic  haste  directly 
towards  the  place  where  Rex  lay  concealed. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

EEX   BECOMES   A   MEXICAN    SOLDIER 

IT  was  all  so  sudden  and  so  unexpected,  that  by 
the  time  Rex  realized  what  had  happened,  and 
started  to  run,  he  was  surrounded  and  swept  away 
by  a  mob  of  panic-stricken  men.  These,  flinging 
aside  weapons,  and  everything  else  that  impeded 
their  movements,  sought  only  to  escape  by  flight 
from  the  terrible  knives  of  los  diablos  Tejanos.  So 
oblivious  were  they  to  everything  save  their  own 
danger  that  for  a  time  the  presence  of  a  white  lad 
among  them  passed  without  notice,  and  Rex,  finding 
himself  unmolested,  still  entertained  hopes  of  escape. 
If  he  could  only  work  his  way  to  the  outskirts  of  the 
flying  throng,  he  felt  certain  that  he  could  slip  away 
unnoticed. 

He  made  the  attempt,  but  so  dense  was  the  mob, 
that,  in  spite  of  his  efforts,  he  was  borne  along  for 
more  than  a  mile  before  finding  himself  compara 
tively  free,  and  in  company  with  but  half  a  dozen 
soldiers.  The  exultant  yells  from  behind  had  died 
away,  and  even  the  most  badly  frightened  of  the 
Mexicans  were  beginning  to  realize  that  their 

155 


156  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

dreaded  enemies  had  ceased  from  pursuing  them. 
So  their  headlong  pace  was  slackened,  they  began  to 
glance  furtively  at  one  another,  and  even  to  excuse 
themselves  in  panting  gasps  for  having  run. 

"It  was  so  sudden,"  explained  one,  "that  I  fled 
without  reflection." 

"  We  could  not  have  saved  our  lives  otherwise," 
growled  another,  "  for  the  Tejanos  were  five  to  every 
one  of  us." 

"  Los  diablos  !  " 

"  Los  heriticos  !  " 

"  Let  us  meet  them  on  even  terms,  and  we  will 
sweep  them  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Is  it  not  so, 
amigo  ?  " 

This  last  remark  was  addressed  to  Rex  by  the 
man  who  ran  nearest  to  him.  As  he  made  no  reply, 
the  man  glanced  curiously  beneath  the  sombrero  that, 
pulled  well  down  over  the  lad's  face,  very  nearly 
concealed  it. 

"  Holy  Virgin  !  "  he  cried  ;  "  here  is  one  of  them  ! 
Seize  him  !  Help  !  Do  not  let  him  escape  !  " 

With  this  he  flung  himself  upon  the  stranger,  only 
to  be  met  by  a  stunning  blow  that  caused  him  to 
measure  his  length  on  the  ground. 

During  the  whole  of  that  involuntary  flight,  Rex 
had  expected  an  attack  of  this  kind  and  had  held 
himself  in  readiness  to  meet  it.  Now  he  sprang  to 
one  side,  and  might  have  escaped  had  there  not  been 
one  more  soldier  still  beyond  him.  This  man  grap- 


REX  BECOMES   A   MEXICAN   SOLDIER  157 

pled  with  the  lad  ;  there  was  a  moment  of  fierce 
struggle,  and  then  they  rolled  to  the  ground  together, 
but  with  the  young  Texan  on  top.  With  one  free 
hand  he  tried  to  draw  a  knife  from  his  belt;  but  ere 
this  could  be  done,  half  a  dozen  soldiers  rushed  at 
him,  and  further  resistance  became  useless. 

When  the  poor  boy,  breathless,  begrimed,  bare 
headed,  with  torn  clothing  and  pinioned  arms,  was 
finally  allowed  to  regain  his  feet,  he  gazed  helplessly 
about  him.  On  all  sides  were  the  scowling  faces  of 
those  who  not  only  thirsted  for  his  life,  but  would 
feel  that  in  killing  him  they  would  be  performing  a 
meritorious  deed.  From  all  mouths  there  was  but 
a  single  verdict. 

"  Kill  him  !  " 

"  Death  to  the  heretic  !  " 

"  Tear  the  heart  from  the  Texas  rebel !  " 

"  And  make  haste,  for  we  have  no  time  to 
spare." 

A  dozen  knives  flashed  in  the  sunlight,  and  a  dozen 
arms  were  uplifted.  Rex  closed  his  eyes,  and  his 
brain  seethed  with  its  tumult  of  thoughts.  Of  them 
all,  one  stood  clearly  forth  —  was  any  one  ever  put 
to  death  twice  in  one  week  before  ?  The  idea  was 
so  absurd  that  the  lad  actually  laughed  aloud.  It 
was  a  ghostly  hysterical  laugh,  to  be  sure,  but  so 
unmistakably  a  mirthful  sound  that  the  uplifted  arms 
were  paralyzed  with  amazement.  What  sort  of  a 
youth  was  this  who  actually  laughed  in  the  face  of 


158  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

death  ?  Was  his  act  one  of  bravado  or  madness  ? 
Others  pressed  forward  for  a  look  at  him,  and  one  of 
these  uttered  a  loud  cry. 

"  Mother  of  God  save  us !  It  is  a  miracle,  and  the 
dead  can  return  to  life.  You  cannot  harm  him,  and 
he  laughs  because  he  has  knowledge  of  the  fact.  We 
killed  this  same  lad  a  week  ago,  near  Goliad.  With 
my  own  eyes  I  saw  him  pierced  by  a  dozen  bullets. 
We  left  him  where  he  fell,  dead  I  tell  you,  dead ! 
Now  he  stands  yonder,  alive,  and  mocking  us  with 
laughter.  Let  him  go  before  he  casts  upon  us  the 
eye  of  evil ;  for  I  tell  you  he  is  a  devil  in  human 
form." 

"  No,  he  is  not  a  devil,"  said  another.  "He  is  one 
whom  the  saints  protect.  See  you  not  that  he  bears 
upon  his  bosom  the  holy  symbol  of  Our  Lady  ?  We 
could  not  harm  him  if  we  would,  for  the  arm  that 
struck  at  him  would  be  withered.  It  is  no  won 
der  he  laughs,  knowing  how  little  he  has  to  fear. 
Let  him  go,  then,  before  the  Holy  Ones  become 
angry  at  us." 

"  But  he  is  surely  a  Texan,  and  a  spy,"  murmured 
other  voices,  "  and  to  let  such  a  one  escape  would  be 
a  crime." 

"  It  is  a  case  for  the  Church  to  decide,  since  he 
wears  a  charm  that  the  Church  has  blessed,"  argued 
one  who  seemed  to  possess  authority.  "  Let  us  then 
take  him  to  the  priests.  If  he  is  protected  by  the 
saints,  they  will  recognize  the  fact.  If  he  is  of  a 


REX  BECOMES   A   MEXICAN   SOLDIER  159 

weak  mind,  as  his  merriment  in  the  face  of  death 
would  seem  to  indicate,  they  will  find  it  out.  If  he 
is  an  impostor,  who  can  discover  it  more  quickly 
than  they  ?  Let  us  carry  him  to  the  holy  fathers, 
and  so  shift  from  ourselves  the  responsibility  of 
either  his  life  or  his  death." 

This  advice  seemed  so  good  that  it  was  instantly 
adopted,  and  so,  within  five  minutes  after  discovering 
him  among  them,  the  still  retreating  Mexicans  were 
hurrying  Rex  Harden  towards  San  Antonio. 

Although  he  had  heard  and  understood  their  con 
versation  regarding  him,  he  had  not  uttered  a  word 
nor  given  a  sign  of  comprehension.  He  recognized 
the  fact  that  his  life  had  been  spared  for  the  time 
being,  on  account  of  the  amulet  that  the  Senora 
Tejada  had  hung  about  his  neck  that  very  morning, 
and  which,  during  his  recent  struggle,  had  been 
pulled  from  its  place  of  concealment  beneath  his 
shirt.  He  also  knew  that  by  his  present  captors  he 
was  regarded  as  being  in  some  way  mysterious,  or 
at  least  of  an  unsound  mind,  and  he  determined  to 
profit  by  the  knowledge  if  possible.  Above  all,  he 
realized  that  he  had  just  escaped  death  by  the  nar 
rowest  possible  margin  of  safety,  and  was  humbly 
grateful  for  his  wonderful  deliverance. 

In  vain  did  the  Mexican  officers  attempt,  by  com 
mands,  threats,  and  even  by  pleadings,  to  check  the 
retreat  of  their  demoralized  troops.  The  latter  had 
had  enough  of  fighting  for  that  day,  and  nothing 


160  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

could  induce  them  to  again  face  the  terrible  Texans 
in  an  open  field. 

"  How  could  we  fight  if  we  should  return,"  they 
argued,  "  since  we  have  burned  all  our  powder  and 
thrown  away  our  guns?  " 

As  even  the  most  ferocious  of  the  officers  could 
give  no  satisfactory  answer  to  this  question,  the 
retreat  was  continued.  By  noon  all  who  remained 
alive  of  the  four  hundred  troops  sent  out  to  destroy 
a  force  of  ninety  Texans  had  thankfully  regained 
the  comparative  safety  of  the  city. 

General  Martin  Cos  with  one  thousand  troops  held 
San  Antonio  and  was  preparing  to  defend  it  until  his 
brother-in-law,  the  Mexican  President,  should  arrive 
with  an  army  strong  enough  to  sweep  Texas  from 
end  to  end.  Already  had  he  sent  to  Matamoras 
for  reinforcements,  and  while  awaiting  them  was 
strengthening  his  defences  in  every  possible  way. 
Thus,  as  Rex  was  hurried  through  the  narrow  streets, 
he  saw  on  all  sides  parties  of  soldiers  constructing 
barricades,  digging  trenches,  planting  batteries,  and 
turning  such  of  the  thick-walled  houses  as  com 
manded  important  positions  into  temporary  for 
tresses. 

Although  the  streets  were  thronged  with  people, 
soldiers,  priests,  vaqueros  who  had  come  in  with  cat 
tle  for  the  garrison,  and  other  civilians,  they  were  all 
Mexican,  and  not  a  single  white  face  was  to  be  seen 
among  them.  Every  American,  except  three  or  four 


REX  BECOMES  A  MEXICAN  SOLDIER  161 

held  as  prisoners,  had  fled  or  been  driven  out,  and 
amid  all  who  stared  or  scowled  at  Rex  as  he  passed, 
the  lad  could  not  discover  a  single  friendly  face  or 
one  that  was  even  familiar.  His  heart  was  very 
heavy,  but  he  laughed  aloud  and  uttered  childish 
words  of  pleasure.  At  this,  those  who  guarded  him 
looked  at  each  other  and  touched  their  foreheads 
significantly. 

Finally  they  brought  him  to  the  well-remembered 
Veramendi  house  in  which  the  Mexican  general  had  es 
tablished  his  headquarters.  Here,  after  a  few  minutes 
of  waiting  at  the  entrance,  Rex  was  ushered  into  the 
presence  of  a  stout,  smooth-faced  man,  who,  clad  in 
a  gorgeous  uniform,  sat  in  an  easy-chair,  rolling  ciga 
rettes,  and  angrily  receiving  reports  from  those  officers 
whom  the  Texans  had  just  defeated.  Near  by  was 
a  table  littered  with  papers  at  which  two  clerks  were 
busy.  Several  officers,  all  smoking  cigarettes,  but 
looking  very  miserable,  stood  about  the  room. 

At  this  juncture  the  appearance  of  a  prisoner  was 
hailed  with  relief,  and  the  several  persons  present 
regarded  the  young  Texan  curiously. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  demanded  General  Cos,  sav 
agely  ;  "  and  why  are  the  people  of  Texas  in  rebellion 
against  their  President?  " 

"  You  can  talk,"  replied  Rex,  in  English,  "  because 
your  hands  are  not  tied.  If  your  hands  were  tied  so 
that  they  hurt  like  mine,  you  could  not  remember 
anything  else.  No  one  could." 


162  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

As  the  general  understood  English  very  well,  and 
had  been  informed  that  the  prisoner  did  not  seem  to 
be  quite  in  his  right  mind,  he  ordered  the  bonds  of 
which  the  captive  complained  to  be  loosed.  This 
was  no  sooner  done,  than  the  lad  picked  up  the  com 
mander's  plumed  chapeau  from  the  table,  and  with  a 
silly  smile,  placed  it  on  his  own  head,  saying  as  he 
did  so : 

"  It  is  fine  to  be  a  soldier  and  wear  feathers." 

"  How  dare  you,  sir  !  "  thundered  the  general, 
starting  from  his  chair.  At  the  same  moment  an 
officer  snatched  away  the  chapeau  and  returned  it 
to  the  table,  with  a  low  bow. 

The  prisoner  looked  from  one  to  another  with  a 
grieved  and  puzzled  expression,  while  the  general, 
sinking  back  in  his  seat  and  lighting  a  fresh  ciga 
rette,  began  to  question  him  farther,  this  time  speak 
ing  in  broken  English. 

For  a  moment  Rex  seemed  to  be  paying  most  grati 
fying  and  intelligent  attention  to  what  was  said. 
Then,  with  a  cry  of  delight  he  started  in  pursuit  of 
a  kitten  that  had  just  entered  the  room  and  was 
walking  demurely  across  the  floor. 

Instantly  there  ensued  a  scene  of  direst  confusion. 
The  frightened  animal  fled  wildly  from  side  to  side, 
with  the  prisoner  in  hot  chase,  while  the  officers, 
nearly  choked  with  suppressed  laughter,  either  leaped 
out  of  the  way  or  made  futile  efforts  to  detain  him. 
The  general  swore,  furniture  was  upset,  and  for  a 


REX  BECOMES   A   MEXICAN   SOLDIER  163 

minute  pandemonium  reigned.  Then  the  kitten 
took  refuge  under  the  general's  chair,  where  Rex, 
trying  to  follow,  was  captured  and  dragged  to  his 
feet. 

"  He  is  an  idiot,  a  raving  lunatic  !  "  roared  the 
commander,  furiously.  "  Take  him  away,  or  turn 
him  loose  beyond  the  lines,  or  shoot  him,  I  don't 
care  which ;  only  let  me  not  be  pestered  with  him 
again." 

As  Rex  was  being  hustled  from  the  room,  Martin 
Cos  cried  :  "Hold!  I  have  another  plan.  Put  him 
in  uniform,  make  a  soldier  of  him,  and  place  him 
where  the  Texans  themselves  can  shoot  at  him.  In 
the  meantime  let  him  dig  in  the  trenches ;  only  at 
night  confine  him  with  the  convict  troops,  and  see 
that  he  does  not  escape." 


CHAPTER   XX 

QUARTERED   AMONG   CONVICTS 

"THAT'S  a  cheerful  prospect  for  me,"  thought 
Rex,  as  he  was  led  away  towards  the  guard-house. 
"  It  is  better  than  being  shot,  though,  or  placed  in 
solitary  confinement  in  one  of  their  rotten  old  dun 
geons.  So  I  might  be  worse  off,  and  as  the  idiot 
racket  seems  to  be  working  pretty  well,  I  guess  I'll 
keep  it  up  until  something  better  offers.  Ha-ha  ! 
Ha-ha  !  See  the  birdie,  pretty  little  birdie.  When 
I  catch  him  I'll  put  him  in  a  cage,  and  hear  him 
sing.  Ha-ha  !  Ha-ha  !  " 

As  the  "  birdie  "  toward  which  he  pointed  was  one 
of  the  city  scavengers,  a  huge  turkey  buzzard,  tear 
ing  at  a  bit  of  carrion  in  a  gutter,  the  soldiers  looked 
at  him  curiously,  and  then  broke  into  coarse  laugh 
ter.  By  this  time  the  character  of  the  handsome 
young  Tejano  was  established  with  all  classes,  and 
every  one,  from  the  general  down,  was  speaking  of 
him  as  El  Ton  to  (the  fool). 

According  to  orders,  Rex  was  conducted  to  the 
guard-house,  where  he  was  stripped  of  his  own 
clothing,  and  compelled  to  assume  a  dirty  uniform 
of  coarse  blue  cloth,  with  red  facings,  and  a  stiff  cap 

164 


QUARTERED  AMONG  CONVICTS  165 

in  which  was  stuck  a  green  pompon.  He  was  not 
given  shoes,  stockings,  nor  any  underclothing  except 
a  gray  flannel  shirt.  These  garments  were  not  only 
so  large  as  to  hang  loosely  about  the  lad's  slender 
form,  and  make  him  appear  more  like  a  scarecrow 
than  a  soldier,  but  they  were  so  filthy  that  mere  con 
tact  with  them  turned  him  sick.  Of  his  own  belong 
ings  nothing  was  left  to  him  except  the  amulet 
that  the  Seiiora  Tejada  had  slipped  into  his  hand, 
and  which  the  superstitious  Mexicans  would  have 
deemed  it  profanity  to  remove. 

When  the  transformation  had  been  effected,  amid 
much  heartless  laughter,  and  many  coarse  jests  on 
the  part  of  the  guard,  and  when  Rex  had  been  given 
a  number  (names  being  unknown  among  the  convict 
troops),  he  was  turned  loose  in  a  large,  walled  enclos 
ure  like  a  great  corral.  This  was  the  camping-place 
of  the  convicts,  and  here,  when  not  at  work,  they 
were  penned  like  so  many  animals.  A  soldier  with 
loaded  musket  was  stationed  on  a  raised  platform 
beside  the  entrance.  From  here  he  commanded  a 
view  of  the  whole  enclosure,  and  could  call  any  indi 
vidual  in  it  to  order,  in  case  of  a  disturbance.  He 
was  even  empowered  to  fire  into  the  mob,  in  case 
of  any  riot  that  commands  and  threats  could  not 
quell. 

As  the  convict  soldiers  were  unarmed,  while  their 
warder  was  backed  by  a  score  of  picked  troops  sta 
tioned  in  the  guard-house  close  at  hand,  it  seldom 


166  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

happened  that  his  words  were  not  listened  to  with  re 
spectful  attention.  At  the  same  time  he  rarely  inter 
fered  with  the  ordinary  quarrels  that  were  of  frequent 
occurrence  among  this  scum  of  Mexican  prisons. 

On  the  present  occasion,  as  our  poor  lad  was 
ushered  into  this  horrible  enclosure  unannounced, 
and  its  gate  was  swung  to  behind  him,  he  felt  as 
though  he  had  descended  into  a  place  of  lost  souls, 
and  that  all  hope  must  be  abandoned  from  that 
moment. 

Lining  the  walls  on  three  sides  were  low,  open 
sheds,  having  rough  board  floors  sloping  outward, 
that  formed  the  sleeping-places  of  the  convict  sol 
diers.  Across  one  corner  of  the  camp  flowed  an 
acequia  or  ditch  of  clear  water  from  the  river. 
Several  hundred  men,  with  the  faces  of  murderers, 
and  the  furtive  air  of  thieves,  sat  or  lay  beneath  the 
sheds,  strolled  aimlessly  here  and  there,  gambled, 
quarrelled,  smoked  corn-husk  cigarettes,  or  squatted 
apathetically  about  the  smouldering  embers  of  a 
small  fire.  All  wore  the  honorable  uniform  of  the 
Republic  of  Mexico,  which  Santa  Anna  had  thus 
degraded. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  new-comer  a  murmur  of 
languid  interest  ran  through  the  entire  camp,  and 
all  eyes  were  turned  towards  him.  At  first  they 
only  noted  that  he  wore  the  same  uniform  as  them 
selves  ;  but  in  another  moment  some  one  called 
attention  to  his  fair  skin.  With  that  there  came  a 


QUARTERED   AMONG  CONVICTS  107 

general  movement  in  his  direction,  and  he  quickly 
formed  the  centre  of  an  eagerly  questioning  throng. 

Rex  had  determined  that  even  here  he  would 
sustain  the  character  of  an  idiot,  in  which  he  believed 
lay  his  only  hope  of  safety  and  ultimate  escape.  So, 
as  the  convicts  gathered  about  him,  he  smiled  fool 
ishly,  jabbered  at  them  in  English,  and  even  threw 
his  arms  about  the  most  ill-favored  cut-throat  of 
the  lot,  as  though  inviting  him  to  dance.  The  man 
pulled  away  with  an  oath,  while  the  others  roared 
with  laughter. 

Slowly  the  jeering  mob  forced  the  lad  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  camp,  and  when  well  removed 
from  the  guard,  who  had  watched  their  proceedings 
with  a  mild  interest,  they  began  a  series  of  petty  per 
secutions,  that  would  have  taken  the  form  of  open 
violence  had  they  dared  use  it.  So  they  only 
shoved  their  victim  violently  from  one  to  another, 
pinched  him  or  thrust  thorns  into  his  legs,  all  the 
while  shouting  with  laughter  at  his  involuntary 
starts  and  cries  of  pain.  Most  amusing  of  all  was 
to  watch  his  rising  anger,  and  his  fruitless  efforts  to 
single  out  the  most  active  of  his  tormentors. 

By  the  time  Rex  had  grown  so  desperate,  that  he 
was  just  about  to  attempt  a  rush  back  to  the  gate, 
where  he  proposed  demanding  protection  from  the 
guard,  the  rattle  of  a  drum  caused  a  general  move 
ment  of  the  convicts  in  that  very  direction,  and  in 
less  than  a  minute  he  was  left  standing  alone.  His 


168  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

late  tormentors,  drawn  up  in  double  file,  were  march 
ing  slowly  past  the  open  gateway,  where  each  one 
appeared  to  be  receiving  something.  Attracted  by 
curiosity,  the  unhappy  lad  strolled  that  way  until  he 
could  see  that  several  camp  cooks,  standing  beside 
great  kettles,  were  handing  to  each  man  a  small 
wooden  dish  or  trough  containing  his  supper. 

Catching  scent  of  the  food,  Rex  became  aware 
that  he  was  faint  with  hunger,  and  determined  to 
secure  his  share  of  whatever  was  to  be  had.  So  he 
took  position  at  the  very  rear  of  the  column,  and  at 
length,  after  a  weary  delay,  reached  the  place  where 
the  cooks  were  standing.  A  petty  officer  with  a  file 
of  armed  soldiers  superintended  their  movements, 
while  the  regular  camp  guard  also  watched  them 
from  his  platform. 

As  Rex  came  up,  one  of  the  cooks  handed  him  a 
dirty  wooden  platter,  containing  a  meagre  quantity 
of  boiled  beans  and  a  cube  of  meat  about  an  inch 
square.  Another  gave  him  a  single  tortilla,  or  thin 
cake  of  corn  meal,  and  then  the  gate  was  closed,  for 
the  task  of  feeding  the  convicts  was  ended  for  that 
night.  In  the  morning  every  one  of  them  would 
be  expected  to  present  his  greasy  little  trough  un 
broken  to  the  cooks,  failing  to  do  which  he  would 
get  no  breakfast. 

Of  course  Rex  knew  nothing  of  this,  and  his  only 
thought  was  whether  or  not  he  could  bring  himself 
to  eat  the  disgusting-looking  mess  just  given  him. 


QUARTERED  AMONG  CONVICTS  169 

Finally  concluding  that  he  was  hungry  enough  to 
try,  he  was  raising  the  tortilla  to  his  mouth  when 
it  was  snatched  from  his  hand.  At  the  same  time 
a  man  on  the  other  side  grabbed  the  bit  of  meat 
that  had  fallen  to  our  lad's  portion,  and  another, 
seizing  hold  of  the  wooden  bowl,  attempted  to  wrest 
it  from  him. 

With  a  cry  of  rage,  Rex  jerked  away  his  property, 
and  fetched  the  man  who  was  trying  to  take  it  from 
him  such  a  blow  on  the  head  that  the  trough  was 
split  in  two  pieces,  and  its  contents  streamed  down 
over  the  convict's  face.  Wheeling  on  him  who  had 
snatched  the  meat,  the  lad  dealt  him  a  right-hander 
under  the  ear  that  felled  him  to  the  ground ;  then 
he  sprang  after  the  thief  who  was  making  off  with 
the  tortilla.  Ere  he  could  reach  him,  a  by-stander 
stuck  out  a  foot,  over  which  Rex  tripped.  Quickly 
recovering  himself,  he  turned  with  a  blind  fury  upon 
this  new  aggressor,  and  in  another  moment  was  lost 
to  sight  in  the  vortex  of  a  yelling,  struggling  mob, 
who  fought  like  wild  beasts  maddened  by  the  scent 
of  blood. 

In  vain  did  the  soldier  on  guard  shout  commands 
and  threats.  He  even  fired  his  musket  over  the 
heads  of  the  infuriated  throng ;  but  with  no  more 
effect  than  if  it  had  been  a  breath  of  wind.  Seeing 
that  the  fight  was  already  beyond  his  control,  and 
bade  fair  speedily  to  involve  every  convict  in  the 
camp,  the  sentry  summoned  his  comrades  from  the 


170  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

guard-house.  These  charged  the  mob  with  such 
lusty  blows  from  their  clubbed  muskets,  that  within 
ten  minutes  it  had  taken  to  howling  flight,  leaving 
poor  Rex  bruised,  dazed,  and  wellnigh  smothered, 
lying  on  the  ground- 

At  command  of  a  sergeant  he  was  picked  up, 
carried  to  one  of  the  sheds,  laid  on  its  sloping  floor, 
and  there  left  to  recover  as  best  he  might.  Having 
thus  done  their  duty  by  all  concerned,  his  rescuers, 
impatient  to  resume  their  own  interrupted  supper, 
marched  back  to  the  guard-house.  Only  the  sentinel 
lingered  behind  to  take  a  final  survey  of  the  field  of 
battle,  and  to  him  Rex  heard  the  retiring  sergeant  say : 

"  Take  care,  Tejada,  that  no  more  fights  occur 
while  you  are  on  duty." 

"  Tejada  !  "  Where  had  he  known  that  name  ?  It 
certainly  sounded  familiar.  Oh,  yes,  the  mission  of 
La  Espada,  the  woman  and  the  child,  the  little 
Sebastien.  Perhaps  this  soldier  was  the  very  one  of 
whom  she  had  spoken  ;  and  if  so  —  well  he  would 
first  find  out,  and  then  think  what  to  do.  So  he 
called  softly  : 

"  Tejada  !     Sebastien  Tejada  !  " 

The  sentinel  started  and  gazed  about  him  inquir 
ingly. 

Again  came  the  murmured  sound  of  his  own  name. 
To  his  amazement  it  was  uttered  by  the  wretched 
youth  lying  at  his  feet,  who  had  just  caused  so  much 
trouble. 


QUARTERED  AMONG  CONVICTS  171 

"  Why  do  you  call  me?  "  he  asked  shortly. 

"Do  you  know  the  mission  of  Espada,  and  a 
muchachito  of  thy  name  who  dwells  within  its 
walls  ?  " 

"  And  if  I  do,  what  then?  " 

The  soldier  was  now  bending  curiously  over  the 
lad,  and  his  tone  was  full  of  eagerness. 

"  I  bring  this  token  from  the  mother  of  your 
child,"  answered  Rex,  drawing  the  amulet  from  his 
bosom,  "  and  by  it  I  beg  of  you  to  aid  me  now,  even 
as  I  was  able  to  aid  them  but  a  few  hours  since." 

The  soldier  snatched  the  bit  of  silver,  and  kissed 
it  passionately.  Then,  whispering,  "Lie  quiet  till 
I  come  again,"  he  rose  and  exclaimed  harshly  : 

"No,  dog.  I  will  not  bring  thee  water  nor  aught 
else,  but  will  beat  out  thy  idiot  brains  if  thou  but 
lift  a  hand  to  make  further  disturbance." 

This  was  for  the  benefit  of  several  convicts  who 
were  drawing  near,  and  whom  Sebastien  also  threat 
ened  if  the  quiet  of  the  camp  was  again  broken  that 
night.  Having  thus  disarmed  suspicion,  the  sentinel 
resumed  his  place  beside  the  gate,  and  a  little  later 
the  inmates  of  the  convict  camp  were  ordered  to 
their  sleeping-places. 

As  Rex  had  been  laid  at  the  extreme  end  of  one  of 
the  sheds,  he  was  spared  the  misery  of  being  crowded 
on  both  sides  by  his  filthy  companions.  Even  so, 
after  an  hour  of  breathing  the  foul  air  of  the  place, 
and  listening  to  the  vile  conversation  of  the  wretches 


172  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

about  him,  he  began  to  think  that  he  should  in  truth 
lose  his  mind  unless  speedily  released  from  the  well- 
nigh  unendurable  situation. 

While  he  was  thus  thinking,  and  wondering  if 
Sebastien  Tejada  would  indeed  prove  a  friend,  a 
harsh  voice  from  outside  the  shed  called :  "  Two 
hundred  and  one  is  ordered  out  for  punishment,  and 
must  come  quickly.  Which  is  he  ?  " 

"  Two  hundred  and  one  is  the  gringo  !  El  Tonto 
the  gringo  !  "  cried  a  score  of  eager  voices,  while,  as 
Rex  stiffly  rose,  and  stepped  forth  from  that  den  of 
iniquity,  he  was  followed  by  a  torrent  of  jeers  and 
loudly  expressed  hopes  that  he  was  about  to  be 
flayed  alive. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

TAWNY   APPEARS   IN   SAN   ANTONIO 

FEELING  that  fate  was  indeed  dealing  very  harshly 
with  him,  and  yet  glad  of  any  change,  Rex  quietly 
submitted  to  be  led  away  by  the  soldier  who  had 
summoned  him.  He  wondered  vaguely,  and  indeed 
felt  mortified  that  it  had  only  been  deemed  necessary 
to  send  a  single  man  for  him  instead  of  a  file  of 
soldiers.  Then  he  remembered  his  assumed  idiocy, 
and  acknowledged  that  it  sufficiently  explained  the 
contempt  that  sent  a  messenger  instead  of  a  guard 
to  escort  him  to  the  place  of  punishment. 

What  was  he  to  be  punished  for,  though,  and  how  ? 
With  half  a  chance  to  escape,  or  even  to  fight  in  his 
own  defence,  he  would  show  these  miserable  greasers 
that  they  could  not  ill  treat  a  free-born  Texan  with 
impunity.  The  lad  grew  hot  with  anger  as  these 
thoughts  surged  through  his  brain,  and  defenceless 
as  he  was,  meditated  an  attack  upon  the  armed  man 
by  his  side  as  soon  as  they  should  reach  a  favorable 
place. 

They  had  left  the  convict  camp,  and  were  passing 
the  guard-house  as  this  possibility  presented  itself. 
A  band  of  light  streamed  from  its  open  doorway, 

173 


174  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

and,  as  they  crossed  this,  Rex  glanced  curiously  at 
the  face  of  his  escort.  To  his  surprise  the  man  who 
held  his  arm,  and  was  leading  him  to  punishment, 
was  the  same  whom  he  had  believed  to  be  a  friend ; 
for  he  was  Sebastien  Tejada. 

The  soldier  noted  his  prisoner's  start  of  recogni 
tion,  but  checked  the  words  that  rose  to  his  lips,  with 
a  warning  pressure  of  the  arm.  A  minute  later  they 
entered  a  tiny  jacal,  or  hut,  that  stood  but  a  short 
distance  beyond  the  guard-house,  and  in  which  Te 
jada  made  his  temporary  home. 

Although  the  interior  was  in  inky  blackness,  the 
Mexican  led  his  guest  to  a  corn-husk  bed,  that,  rude 
as  it  was,  seemed  to  our  aching  lad  delightfully  soft 
and  comfortable. 

"  Here  also  is  food,"  said  Tejada,  handing  him  tor 
tilla  after  tortilla,  until  he  had  eaten  as  many  of  the 
thin  cakes  as  would  have  served  two  Mexican  sol 
diers  for  a  full  day's  ration  of  food. 

"  Now  if  you  could  give  me  a  drink,"  said  the 
lad;  and  in  reply  Tejada  handed  him  a  jug  of  fresh 
milk,  that  Rex  drained  to  the  very  bottom. 

"There!"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  set  the  jug  down, 
with  a  great  sigh  of  satisfaction,  "  I  feel  like  a  new 
man,  and  ready  for  anything  that  may  turn  up. 
What  comes  next,  Tejada?  Do  you  deliver  me  to 
the  tormentors,  or  aid  me  to  escape  ?  " 

"Neither,"  replied  the  Mexican.  "There  is  no 
punishment  in  store  for  thee  that  I  know  of,  and  I 


TAWNY  APPEARS   IN   SAN  ANTONIO  175 

only  threatened  one  to  throw  yonder  dogs  off  the 
scent.  If  one  was  intended,  however,  I  could  not 
save  thee  from  it.  Neither  can  I  aid  thee  to  escape, 
without  putting  in  peril  the  lives  of  my  wife  and 
child,  as  well  as  my  own,  for  I  am  held  responsible 
for  thy  safe  keeping.  I  must  even  gain  thy  promise 
not  to  attempt  an  escape  during  the  night,  or  else 
return  thee  to  the  camp  of  convicts." 

"  I  am  willing  to  promise,  that  from  now  until 
daylight  I  will  make  no  attempt  to  leave  this  place," 
said  Rex,  "  for  I  can  imagine  nothing  more  awful 
than  to  be  taken  back  among  those  wretches." 

"  They  would  surely  kill  thee  before  morning," 
said  Tejada;  "but  tell  me,  art  thou  truly  of  sound 
mind,  and  reasonable  ?  " 

"Perfectly,  having  only  played  the  idiot  for  a 
purpose." 

"  And  thou  hast  recently  seen  my  wife,  together 
with  the  little  Sebastien  ?  " 

"  As  I  told  you,  I  saw  them  only  this  morning,  if 
the  hour  is  still  before  midnight,  or  yesterday,  if  it 
be  passed,"  answered  the  lad.  Then  he  gave  a  full 
account  of  his  recent  adventures  in  the  mission  of 
Espada,  including  the  part  borne  in  them  by  the 
Sefiora  Tejada,  to  all  of  which  his  companion  listened 
with  breathless  interest. 

"  For  thy  goodness  to  them  I  will  serve  thee  with 
my  life  !  "  exclaimed  the  grateful  soldier,  when  Rex 
had  finished.  "  Without  it  I  would  still  serve  thee 


176  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

for  the  sake  of  thy  most  excellent  father,  the  Senor 
Harden,  whose  kindness  is  known  to  all  the  poor 
dwellers  in  the  missions.  I  am  not  able  to  do 
much  ;  but  what  I  can,  that  will  I  do  gladly.  From 
among  the  convicts  I  am  permitted  to  take  one  as  a 
servant;  but  when  he  is  with  me  alone  I  must  be 
responsible  for  his  safety  with  my  life.  In  this  way 
only  could  I  remove  thee  from  the  others,  who,  as  I 
have  said,  would  surely  have  killed  thee  this  night. 
Now,  therefore,  while  in  reality  I  am  thy  servant, 
bound  to  obey  thy  every  wish,  to  all  others  thou 
must  appear  to  be  mine.  Sleep  then  in  safety  on 
this  poor  bed  till  daylight,  when  I  will  wake  thee 
and  instruct  thee  in  thy  semblance  of  duties.  Also, 
I  think  it  would  be  safer  if  thou  do  not  put  off  thy 
idiocy  too  suddenly." 

44  Trust  me  for  that,"  laughed  Rex,  restored  to 
good  spirits  by  this  unexpected  friendship.  "  The 
trick  has  proved  too  valuable  to  be  cast  aside  before 
a  better  offers.  To-morrow  you  will  see  that  I  am 
more  of  a  fool  than  ever." 

44  Then,  until  the  morrow.     Buenas  noches  !  " 

44  Buenas  noches  !  and  may  Heaven  bless  you  for 
a  true  friend  in  time  of  need,"  answered  the  young 
Texan. 

So  Rex  Harden,  after  a  day  of  turmoil,  exciting 
adventure,  many  dangers  and  narrow  escapes,  was 
left  to  a  night  of  peaceful  quiet,  and  slept  soundly 
on  Sebastien  Tejada's  corn-husk  bed  until  morning. 


TAWNY   APPEARS   IN   SAN  ANTONIO  177 

Then  he  was  awakened  by  his  swarthy  host,  who 
respectfully  requested  that,  for  the  sake  of  appear 
ances,  he  would  assist  in  the  preparation  of  coffee. 

Not  only  did  the  young  Texan  willingly  accede 
to  this  request,  but  he  still  further  carried  out  the 
idea  that  he  was  Tejada's  servant  by  cleaning  the 
soldier's  musket  and  performing  such  other  duties 
as  came  to  his  hand.  He  also  submitted  in  silence 
to  the  volleys  of  abuse  and  harsh  language  which, 
also  for  the  sake  of  appearance,  his  supposed  master 
showered  upon  him  when  within  the  hearing  of  his 
comrades.  Our  lad's  indifference  to  all  this  was 
commonly  supposed  to  be  owing  to  his  ignorance  of 
the  Mexican  language,  for  only  Tejada  knew  that 
he  was  master  of  it. 

Soon  after  sunrise  Rex  was  driven  with  a  party 
of  convicts  under  guard,  to  work  in  the  trenches. 
Here,  although  he  performed  fully  as  much  labor  as 
any  of  his  fellow-slaves,  who  shirked  in  every  way 
possible,  he  did  not  neglect  to  make  certain  exhibi 
tions  of  idiocy  that  excited  great  mirth  among  the 
spectators,  and  confirmed  the  impression  that  he  was 
a  fool.  So  from  that  day  he  was  known  to  all  the 
city  as  El  Tonto  ;  and  while  his  supposed  infirmity 
gained  for  him  certain  privileges,  it  also  exposed  him 
to  many  cruel  tricks,  that  the  brutal  soldiers  thought 
it  great  sport  to  play  on  one  mentally  incapable  of 
defending  himself. 

Having  been  thus  introduced  to  a  life  of  captivity 


178  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

and  slavery,  the  unfortunate  lad  was  compelled  to 
endure  it  for  an  entire  month  without  finding  his 
condition  materially  changed. 

During  this  time  the  Texan  army,  under  Stephen 
Austin,  advanced  closer  and  closer  to  the  city  until 
it  was  regularly  besieged,  and  communication  with 
the  surrounding  country  was  cut  off.  Provisions  be 
came  so  scarce  that  the  daily  rations  of  the  soldiers 
grew  smaller  and  smaller,  until  actual  starvation 
stared  them  in  the  face.  What  with  scanty  food, 
hard  work,  anxiety,  and  the  mental  strain  of  sustain 
ing  his  assumed  character,  Rex  grew  so  pitiably  thin 
that  it  is  doubtful  if  his  own  parents  would  have 
recognized  him. 

Towards  the  end  of  this  month  the  garrison  made 
several  sorties,  generally  at  night,  after  provisions  for 
themselves  and  forage  for  their  horses ;  but  they 
were  always  driven  back  empty  handed,  and  gener 
ally  with  ranks  sadly  thinned  by  Texas  bullets. 

All  this  time  it  was  noticeable  that,  while  the 
Mexican  soldiers  were  suffering  from  hunger,  and 
the  diseases  caused  by  an  absence  of  nearly  every 
necessity  of  life,  their  officers  still  seemed  to  have 
plenty  to  eat  and  drink.  They  still  smoked  their  in 
cessant  cigarettes,  gambled,  danced,  and  made  merry, 
as  though  there  were  no  such  things  as  anxiety  or 
sorrow  or  suffering  within  their  horizon.  Even 
their  horses  remained  sleek  and  high-spirited  while 
those  of  the  troopers  were  reduced  to  skeletons. 


TAWNY   APPEARS   IN   SAN  ANTONIO  179 

Seeing  these  things,  and  despairing  of  the  ree'n- 
forcements  that  General  Cos  declared  would  surely 
come  to  their  relief,  the  common  soldiers  muttered 
curses  that  grew  louder  each  day,  plotted  rebellion, 
and  threatened  to  desert  in  a  body  to  the  enemy. 

Knowing  this  state  of  affairs,  and  believing  that 
it  must  also  be  known  in  the  Texan  camp,  Rex 
could  not  understand  why  the  besiegers  did  not 
attack  the  city  and  seek  to  carry  it  by  assault. 
Night  after  night,  he  lay  awake  on  his  wretched 
pallet,  listening  for  sounds  of  the  attack,  which  he 
constantly  expected  would  be  made,  and  fretting 
himself  into  a  state  of  feverish  nervousness  over  its 
unexplainable  delay. 

At  length  it  happened  that,  one  afternoon,  he  with 
a  party  of  convict  troops  was  sent  to  strengthen  a 
breastwork  across  one  of  the  streets  leading  from 
the  main  plaza.  While  they  were  wearily  perform 
ing  their  hated  task,  a  group  of  officers  rode  into  the 
plaza  to  exercise  their  horses.  With  them  came  two 
soldiers  leading  a  steed  so  high-spirited  that  he  would 
have  been  unmanageable  had  he  not  been  choked 
into  submission  by  two  halters  about  his  neck. 

At  sight  of  this  horse,  Rex  dropped  his  spade  and, 
uttering  an  inarticulate  cry  of  amazement,  stood 
staring  at  him,  forgetful  of  all  else.  As  he  looked, 
he  saw  man  after  man  of  those  skilled  Mexican 
riders  leap  into  the  saddle,  only  to  be  so  promptly 
and  ignoininiously  flung  from  it  that  he  had  no 


180  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

desire  to  repeat  the  attempt.  So  intensely  interested 
were  all  the  spectators  of  this  struggle  that  even  the 
convicts  were  allowed  to  neglect  their  work  un 
heeded. 

Step  by  step  the  young  Texan  drew  near  to  the 
scene  of  contest,  staring  with  fixed  gaze  at  the  horse, 
until  he  too  began  'to  share  the  general  attention. 
His  fellow-slaves  jeered  at  him  with  mocking  shouts 
of  "See  El  Tonto!  See  the  gringo  scarecrow!  He, 
too,  wishes  to  ride !  Let  him  try.  He  has  never  been 
in  a  saddle,  and  should  take  his  first  lesson  on  a  nice 
quiet  horse  like  this  one." 

Finally  one  of  the  officers,  attracted  by  these 
shouts,  and  thinking  to  extract  some  amusement 
from  the  wretched  appearing  lad,  ordered  him  to 
mount  the  furious  horse,  and  ride  him  twice  around 
the  plaza,  under  a  penalty  of  flogging  if  he  failed. 

A  chorus  of  approving  shouts  greeted  this  propo 
sition,  and  in  another  moment  the  young  Texan  was 
hustled  forward,  picked  up  by  the  mocking  soldiers, 
and  flung  into  the  saddle.  At  the  same  instant  the 
men  clinging  to  the  halters  let  go  their  hold  and 
jumped  aside. 

As  though  in  an  agony  of  terror,  Rex  fell  on  the 
horse's  neck,  and  clasped  it  with  both  arms.  As  he 
did  so,  he  managed  to  whisper  a  single  word  in  the 
animal's  ear,  at  sound  of  which  Tawny  —  for  it  was 
indeed  he  —  stood  for  a  moment  quivering.  Then  he 
sprang  away  and  dashed  furiously  around  the  plaza, 


TAWNY  APPEARS   IN   SAN  ANTONIO  181 

with  Rex  still  clinging  to  his  neck,  as  though  in 
abject  fear. 

The  spectators  screamed  with  delight  as  they 
scampered  out  of  the  way,  and  redoubled  their 
shouts  of  derision  at  sight  of  that  most  contemptible 
of  beings  to  a  Mexican  —  a  timid  horseman.  As  the 
splendid  brute  flew  for  the  second  time  around  the 
plaza  and  drew  near  the  barricade  at  which  the  con 
victs  had  been  at  work,  his  scarecrow  rider  suddenly 
sat  erect  in  the  saddle,  seized  the  bridle  in  his  hand, 
and  uttered  a  shrill  cry.  At  sound  of  it  the  horse 
threw  up  his  head,  charged  straight  at  the  breast 
work,  cleared  it  with  a  superb  leap,  and,  dashing  like 
a  whirlwind  up  the  narrow  street  beyond,  was  lost  to 
the  view  of  the  amazed  spectators,  before  they  clearly 
realized  what  had  happened. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

WHO   WILL   GO   WITH   OLD   BEN   MILAM  ? 

WHERE  Tawny  had  been  during  the  month  of  his 
young  master's  imprisonment  in  San  Antonio,  and 
how  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mexicans,  Rex 
could  not  imagine,  nor  did  he  ever  discover.  All  he 
ever  learned  was,  that  during  the  night  before  he 
made  his  wonderful  escape,  his  old  enemy,  the  sol 
dier  named  Domingo,  who  had  been  absent  for  some 
weeks  on  a  mission  to  Matamoras,  returned,  bringing 
with  him  the  animal  in  question.  He  had  offered  to 
sell  his  prize,  which  he  described  as  the  finest  horse 
in  all  Texas,  to  General  Cos,  who  agreed  to  purchase 
him  if  he  proved  to  be  well  broken  to  saddle,  and  the 
animal  had  been  sent  to  the  plaza  for  trial,  with 
what  results  we  know. 

All  this  Rex  learned  a  long  time  afterwards,  but 
at  the  moment  when  he  found  himself  dashing  up 
Flores  Street  on  the  back  of  his  own  incomparable 
Tawny,  he  only  knew,  or  cared  to  know,  that  he  was 
free.  The  thought  filled  him  with  a  wild  exhilara 
tion,  his  blood  coursed  like  fire,  and  as  he  flew  up 
the  narrow  roadway,  scattering  its  occupants  like 
chaff  before  a  gale,  he  uttered  yells  of  exultation  as 

182 


WHO   WILL  GO   WITH  OLD  BEN  MILAM  ?         183 

wild  as  Comanche  war-whoops.  To  the  few  who 
recognized  him  as  "  El  Tonto,"  his  aspect,  together 
with  these  wild  cries,  were  only  added  proofs  of  his 
demented  condition,  and  they  piously  crossed  them 
selves  as  he  swept  past. 

The  Texans,  who  were  at  this  time  encamped  on 
the  west  side  of  the  city,  and  within  a  mile  of  its 
plaza,  had  exhausted  every  effort  to  draw  General 
Cos  from  behind  his  breastworks,  and  induce  him  to 
fight  them  on  the  open  plain.  When  they  found 
that  this  could  not  be  done,  and  that  their  own  com 
mander  would  not  attempt  an  assault,  they,  too, 
grew  dissatisfied  and  mutinous. 

As  they  were  volunteers,  serving  without  pay, 
and  free  to  come  or  go  as  they  pleased,  hundreds  of 
them  returned  in  disgust  to  their  homes,  and  their 
numbers  dwindled  daily.  Among  those  who  re 
mained  an  expedition  was  planned  for  the  invasion  of 
Mexico ;  and  on  the  4th  of  December  it  looked  very 
much  as  though  the  besieging  force  was  about  to 
melt  away  without  making  an  effort  to  capture  the 
stronghold  before  which  they  had  sat  so  long. 

Austin,  their  chosen  leader,  had  been  taken  from 
them,  to  be  sent  as  a  commissioner  to  the  United 
States,  and  his  place  had  been  filled  by  Edward 
Burleson.  Sam  Houston,  the  idol  of  Texas,  and 
commander-in-chief  of  her  slender  forces,  was  de 
tained,  fretting  like  a  caged  lion,  by  the  squabbling 
factions  at  San  Felipe.  Men  of  influence  and  pre- 


184  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

sumed  patriotism  were  trying  to  lure  the  besieging 
force  to  its  destruction  in  Mexico,  and  exaggerated 
reports  of  the  enemy's  strength  were  spread  through 
the  camp  daily.  All  minds  were  filled  with  sus 
picion  and  uncertainty.  Only  a  handful  of  brave 
men,  among  whom  were  Milam,  Bowie,  and  Deaf 
Smith,  stood  firm  in  their  determination  to  capture 
San  Antonio,  or  die  in  the  attempt. 

On  the  afternoon  of  that  memorable  4th  of  De 
cember,  Milam  and  Bowie  stood  before  the  latter's 
tent,  gloomily  watching  a  scene  of  riot  and  con 
fusion  that  was  throwing  the  whole  camp  into  an 
uproar.  General  Burleson  had  just  issued  an  order 
to  raise  the  siege,  and  prepare  for  a  retreat  that  very 
evening.  By  some,  this  order  was  received  with 
approval ;  by  others,  with  grief  and  bitter  anger. 
The  latter  declared  they  would  not  obey  it,  and 
denounced  as  cowards  and  traitors  those  willing 
to  do  so.  Hot  words  led  to  blows,  until  it  seemed 
to  the  onlookers  that  war  was  about  to  break  out 
between  the  opposing  factions. 

The  two  officers,  gazing  on  the  scene  of  tumult, 
were  torn  by  conflicting  emotions.  For  the  sake 
of  example,  they  desired  to  obey  the  order  of  their 
superior,  and  yet  they  believed  that  to  do  so  would 
be  to  deal  a  death-blow  to  Texas  liberty. 

"  My  God  !  "  cried  Bowie,  in  a  tone  of  anguish ; 
"is  this  the  end  of  all  our  hopes  and  boasts  and 
struggles  ?  Must  we  slink  away  like  whipped  curs, 


WHO    WILL   GO   WITH   OLD   BEN  MILAM  ?         185 

and  lick  the  hands  of  the  tyrant  who  will  grind 
us  into  the  dust  ?  " 

To  this  cry  Milam  could  find  no  answer.  His 
heart  was  too  full  for  utterance,  and  he  only  turned 
his  gaze  toward  the  city  he  had  hoped  to  win. 
Now,  bathed  in  the  glory  of  sunset,  it  seemed  to 
be  fading  away,  and  with  it  all  hope  for  Texas. 

As  he  looked  towards  it,  he  started,  and  gazed 
more  eagerly.  A  moving  object  coming  from  the 
city  had  caught  his  eye.  "  Look,  Bowie  I  "  he 
cried.  "  A  horseman  comes  this  way,  riding  like 
the  wind !  Is  he  a  deserter,  a  messenger,  or  an  es 
caping  prisoner  ?  Did  .ever  you  see  such  speed  ?  He 
must  be  mounted  on  the  immortal  Pegasus  !  Great 
Csesar!  How  he  rides!  as  if  Death  and  all  the  Furies 
were  in  pursuit.  And  yet  I  cannot  see  that  any 
follow.  See  him  wave  his  arms,  and  hear  him  yell ! 
He  must  be  a  madman,  just  loosed  from  Bedlam." 

"  He  is  a  Mexican,  and  consequently  a  deserter  ; 
for  I  can  make  out  his  uniform,"  replied  keen-eyed 
Bowie,  after  a  long  look  at  the  approaching  horse 
man.  "  But  what  a  glorious  brute  he  is  riding  ! 
Too  noble  an  animal  by  far  to  be  burdened  with 
so  worthless  a  carcass.  I  shall  make  it  my  business 
to  see  that  he  enters  a  better  service." 

"You  surely  would  not  rob  the  poor  greaser?" 
questioned  Milam,  slyly  ;  "  especially  in  face  of 
the  order  respecting  the  property  rights  of  those 
enemies  who  are  won  over  to  our  cause." 


186  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

"A  fico  for  your  orders  !  "  cried  Bowie.  "Who 
values  an  order  since  the  issue  of  this  last  one? 
But  the  deserter  is  making  straight  for  us,  and  I 
will  toss  you  for  his  horse.  By  Heavens,  colonel, 
he  is  a  white  man  ! " 

As  Bowie  uttered  this  exclamation,  the  wild 
horseman  reined  his  steed  to  a  sudden  standstill 
within  two  paces  of  the  officers,  and  after  a  mo 
ment  of  eager  staring  at  them,  slid  limply  to  the 
ground,  muttering  as  he  did  so: 

"  Bowie  and  Milam  !     Thank  God  !  " 

Both  men  sprang  forward  to  support  him,  and  in 
spite  of  his  tattered  uniform,  his  emaciation,  and  the 
general  wretchedness  of  his  appearance,  both  recog 
nized  him. 

"  Rector  Harden,  by  all  that's  good  !  " 

"  Rex  and  Tawny,  as  I'm  a  sinner  !  " 

In  another  moment  they  had  borne  him  into  the 
tent,  where  with  stimulants  and  food  they  fought 
away  the  weakness  into  which  the  strength  lent  by 
his  recent  excitement  had  been  merged. 

Within  fifteen  minutes  he  had  so  recovered 
strength  and  voice  that  the  men  bending  over  him 
had  learned  the  outline  of  his  story.  They  knew 
also  of  the  starvation  and  threatened  mutiny  in  the 
Mexican  ranks,  they  knew  that  no  expectation  was 
entertained  in  San  Antonio  of  a  Texan  assault,  they 
knew  that  all  the  hopes  of  Martin  Cos  rested  upon 
the  coming  of  reinforcements,  and  they  knew  that 


WHO   WILL   GO   WITH   OLD   BEN  MILAM  ?         187 

now  if  ever  was  the  accepted  moment  for  storming 
the  city. 

In  the  meantime,  a  curious  throng  of  those  who 
had  noted  the  arrival  of  the  supposed  Mexican  de 
serter,  were  gathered  outside  the  tent,  clamoring  for 
news.  To  these  came  Colonel  Milam. 

"Boys,"  he  shouted  with  a  voice  that  reached 
every  quarter  of  the  camp,  "men  of  Texas,  give 
me  your  attention  for  just  one  moment." 

The  appeal  was  heeded,  and  from  all  sides  the  vol 
unteers,  dropping  their  personal  quarrels,  crowded 
forward  to  hear  what  this  man,  whom  they  all  knew, 
and  whose  personal  bravery  all  respected,  had  to 
say. 

Milam  waited  for  silence  ;  and  then,  in  ringing 
tones,  told  them  of  what  had  just  happened  ;  of  the 
wonderful  escape  from  San  Antonio  of  Rector  Har 
den,  whom  many  of  them  knew  and  whose  supposed 
death  they  had  mourned.  "  The  lad  is  a  keen  ob 
server  and  knows  what  he  is  talking  about,"  con 
tinued  the  speaker.  "  He  says  that  now  or  never  is 
the  time  to  make  an  assault  on  yonder  town.  I,  for 
one,  believe  him,  and  am  willing  to  risk  everything 
on  this  chance.  Fellow-soldiers,  who  of  you  will 
go  with  old  Ben  Milam  into  San  Antonio  ? " 

For  answer  there  came  a  mighty  yell  from  the  as 
semblage.  Officers  and  men  pressed  eagerly  forward 
to  offer  their  services.  Bowie  sprang  from  the  tent 
and  stood  beside  his  comrade. 


188  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  I  move  that  we  capture  San  Antonio,  and  that 
Colonel  Benjamin  Milam  be  chosen  to  lead  the  as 
sault  !  "  he  shouted.  "  All  in  favor  will  say  '  aye  ! ' ' 

"  Aye  !  "  yelled  hundreds  of  the  eager  troops  as 
with  a  single  voice  ;  and  with  that  outcry  the  fate 
of  San  Antonio  was  sealed. 

Colonel  Milam,  who  believed  in  striking  iron 
while  it  was  hot,  accepted  the  responsibility  thus 
thrust  upon  him,  and  ordered  all  who  were  willing 
to  join  in  the  attack  to  meet  him  at  an  old  mill  half 
a  mile  away  as  soon  as  the  night  was  sufficiently 
dark  to  conceal  their  movements.  Then  he  ree'n- 
tered  the  tent  and  held  an  earnest  consultation  with 
the  lad  whose  opportune  arrival  had  wrought  this 
sudden  change  of  plans. 

"  I  must  go  with  you,  sir,"  declared  Rex,  when 
this  talk  was  ended.  "Indeed,  I  must." 

"  My  dear  boy  !  You  must  rest  where  you  are 
until  you  regain  your  strength,"  replied  Milam. 

"  All  right,  colonel ;  I  will  lie  right  here  until  you 
are  ready  to  start,  but  then  I  shall  join  you,"  re 
joined  the  young  soldier ;  and  from  this  decision 
nothing  could  move  him. 

At  length  Rex  adroitly  changed  the  subject  by 
saying,  "  Oh,  colonel,  can't  you  find  something 
Texan  for  me  to  wear  ?  It  doesn't  seem  as  though 
I  could  stand  this  vile  uniform  a  moment  longer." 

"  Of  course  we  can,  son.  You  just  lie  still,  and 
I'll  have  you  rigged  out  in  no  time." 


WHO   WILL   GO   WITH   OLD   BEN  MILAM  ?          189 

With  this  Milam  left  the  tent,  to  which  he  re 
turned  a  few  minutes  later,  laden  with  an  assortment 
of  clothing,  including  boots  and  a  sombrero,  from 
which  Rex  might  select  whatever  suited  him  best. 

That  night,  at  the  old  mill,  three  hundred  picked 
men  were  detailed  for  the  assault,  and  all  arrange 
ments  were  perfected.  A  separate  company  was 
ordered  to  cross  the  river  and  make  a  feint  against 
the  Alamo,  that  should  divert  the  enemy's  attention 
from  the  main  expedition.  The  remainder  of  the 
little  Texan  army,  under  command  of  General 
Burleson,  were  to  guard  camp  and  cover  the  retreat 
of  the  assaulting  columns  in  case  they  should  be 
driven  back. 

By  the  time  all  preparations  were  made,  it  wanted 
but  an  hour  of  daylight,  and  James  Bowie  went  to 
waken  Rex.  A  hasty  breakfast  was  washed  down 
by  cups  of  strong  coffee,  and  then  they  were  off. 

The  three  hundred  men  were  divided  into  two 
columns,  headed  by  Colonels  Milam  and  Johnson. 
As  they  began  their  silent  march  towards  the  mist- 
enshrouded  city,  a  distant  volley  of  rifles  and  an 
answering  roar  of  artillery  told  that  the  feint  against 
the  Alamo  was  begun. 

So  completely  did  this  divert  the  enemy's  attention, 
that  Milam  and  Johnson  entered  two  of  the  principal 
streets  of  the  city,  that  ran  parallel  with  each  other 
to  the  plaza,  without  discovery.  Down  these  streets 
the  shadowy  columns  advanced  in  swift  silence,  until 


190  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

they  were  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  great 
square.  Here  a  shot  from  a  Mexican  sentry  rang 
out  its  quick  alarm.  It  was  answered  by  a  volley 
and  a  yell,  as  the  Texans  flung  themselves  into  the 
nearest  houses.  Then  the  streets  they  had  just  va 
cated  were  swept  by  a  storm  of  cannon-balls  from 
the  plaza  batteries,  and  the  battle  was  begun. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

FROM   HOUSE  TO   HOUSE 

THE  struggle  for  the  possession  of  San  Antonio 
quickly  resolved  itself  into  a  house-to-house  fight, 
in  which  every  foot  of  ground  was  stubbornly  con 
tested.  The  first  two  buildings  occupied  by  the 
Texans  were  the  Veramendi  house,  in  which  both 
James  Bowie  and  his  young  friend,  Rex  Harden,  had 
passed  so  many  happy  hours,  and  the  Garza  house, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  Soledad  Street.  The  space 
between  them  was  so  incessantly  swept  by  one  of  the 
plaza  batteries  which  Rex  had  unwillingly  helped 
place  in  position  a  few  days  before,  that,  for  many 
hours,  all  communication  between  them  was  cut  off. 

Against  these  two  buildings  was  rained  so  furious 
a  storm  of  bullets  from  adjacent  roofs,  that  for  a 
long  time  no  Texan  dared  show  himself  beyond  the 
thick  walls,  or  even  near  the  wooden-shuttered 
windows.  At  length,  after  hours  of  labor,  a  few 
loop-holes  were  pierced  close  up  under  the  eaves  and 
a  rude  platform,  on  which  men  could  stand,  was 
erected.  Now  the  deadly  Texas  rifles  began  to  pick 
their  victims  from  roof  and  battlement  with  notice 
able  effect. 

191 


192  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Almost  immediately  the  Mexican  fire  began  to 
slacken,  and  soon  the  Texans,  in  turn,  were  able  to 
gain  the  house-tops,  beneath  which  they  had  thus 
far  found  shelter.  To  these  they  dragged  bags  of 
sand,  and  were  soon  as  securely  fortified  as  they  had 
been  in  the  rooms  below.  Now  they  fired  with  such 
terrible  effect  that  no  Mexican  dared  expose  the 
smallest  portion  of  his  body  within  a  radius  of 
one  hundred  yards,  and  two  of  the  more  advanced 
batteries  were  reduced  to  silence.  At  the  same  time 
the  Texans  found,  to  their  cost,  by  attempting  to 
send  messengers  from  one  party  to  the  other,  that 
their  foes  were  as  watchful  for  human  targets  as 
they  themselves  were. 

So  the  long  day  wore  away,  and  night  found  the 
weary  assailants  still  penned  in  their  two  buildings 
like  rats  in  a  trap.  The  low-ceiled  rooms  were  filled 
with  sulphurous  smoke,  and  the  groans  of  wounded 
men  rose  from  all  sides.  As  no  provisions  had  been 
brought  along,  and  none  could  be  found  in  the  empty 
houses  they  had  occupied,  the  Texans  were  raven 
ously  hungry,  but  still  the  storm  of  bullets  swept 
the  street  with  unabated  fury.  In  the  Veramendi 
house  eight  wounded  men  lay  on  the  bare  floors, 
and  the  position  of  the  entire  party  seemed  so  critical 
that  men  began  to  curse  their  folly  in  joining  so 
reckless  an  expedition,  and  to  make  gloomy  predic 
tions  of  the  fate  that  must  ultimately  overtake  them. 

"  Where   is    Rex    Harden,   the    young   fool   who 


FROM  HOUSE  TO  HOUSE  193 

brought  us  into  this  fix,  by  pretending  to  know 
more  than  his  elders?  "  cried  a  voice  ;  but  there  was 
no  reply,  nor  could  the  lad  be  found  in  any  part  of 
the  building. 

u  Looks  like  he  for  one  had  paid  for  his  folly  with 
his  life,"  said  a  grizzled  veteran,  who,  having  sons 
of  his  own,  felt  more  tenderly  towards  all  boys  than 
did  some  of  the  younger  rnen. 

At  thought  of  the  brave  youth,  who  had  so  cheer 
fully  shared  all  their  sufferings  of  that  day,  lying 
dead  in  some  dark  corner,  even  the  most  uncharitable 
were  softened  towards  his  memory,  and  admitted 
that  his  many  good  qualities  more  than  compensated 
for  his  boyish  follies. 

While  they  were  thus  discussing  him,  there  came 
a  sudden  pounding  on  the  floor  beneath  them,  and  a 
muffled  shout  caused  them  to  spring  to  their  feet  in 
terror.  Their  one  thought  was,  that  the  building 
had  been  undermined,  and  that  they  were  to  be 
attacked  from  below,  as  well  as  from  all  sides. 
Some  seized  their  rifles,  while  others  stood  in  sullen 
despair.  Then  a  bit  of  the  floor  was  slowly  lifted,  a 
twinkle  of  light  showed  through  the  aperture,  and 
a  voice  called  up : 

"  Don't  shoot,  men  ;  we  are  friends." 

With  this  the  trap-door  was  flung  back,  and  the 
very  lad  whose  fate  and  character  they  had  just  been 
discussing,  appeared  among  them.  He  bore  a  lan 
tern,  and  was  followed  by  half  a  dozen  others,  who 


194  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

were  recognized  as  having  been  left  in  camp  that 
morning.  These  were  laden  with  sacks  of  provis 
ions,  and  a  supply  of  ammunition  to  replenish  the 
nearly  exhausted  Texan  stock. 

In  ansAver  to  the  questions  of  his  bewildered 
friends,  Rex  told  them  of  the  passage  leading  beneath 
the  Veramendi  gardens  to  the  river.  He  had  con 
ceived  the  idea  of  slipping  out  through  it  about  sun 
set,  and,  if  possible,  making  his  way  to  the  camp 
under  cover  of  darkness,  for  he  knew  that  without 
provisions  the  Texans  could  not  long  maintain  their 
position. 

Realizing  the  dangers  of  his  proposed  expedition, 
he  would  not  ask  for  company,  nor  would  he  even 
mention  his  plan,  for  fear  of  further  disheartening  his 
friends  in  case  of.  failure.  So  he  had  gone  away 
unnoticed,  and  had  finally  reached  camp  in  safety. 
On  his  way  he  made  the  important  discovery,  that 
Mexican  cavalry  were  guarding  the  further  end  of 
the  very  street  by  which  the  Texans  had  entered  the 
city.  Thus  they  were  prepared  to  cut  off  a  retreat, 
should  the  latter  be  rash  enough  to  undertake  one 
through  the  merciless  fire  by  which  their  route 
would  be  swept. 

In  spite  of  these  dangers,  which  Rex  clearly  ex 
plained  in  General  Burleson's  camp,  half  a  dozen 
brave  fellows  volunteered  to  return  with  him  as 
bearers  of  supplies.  Their  trip  had  been  made 
without  a  challenge,  and  here  they  were. 


"DON'T  SHOOT,  MEN;  WE  ARE  FRIENDS.' 


FROM   HOUSE   TO   HOUSE  195 

This  was  the  substance  of  the  story  told  by  Rex 
Harden,  while  his  famished  comrades  ate  of  the  food 
he  had  brought  them.  They  were  very  grateful  to 
him,  and  very  proud  of  what  he  had  done,  but  it  did 
not  occur  to  them  just  then  to  say  so.  Nor  did  the 
young  soldier  feel  that  either  thanks  or  praise  were 
called  for  by  his  simple  performance  of  a  duty. 
"  Any  one  of  them  would  have  done  the  same  thing 
if  they  had  known  what  I  did  about  the  passage," 
he  said  to  himself,  and  there  the  matter  ended  so  far 
as  he  thought  of  it. 

But  the  results  of  his  daring  act  were  by  no  means 
ended  with  its  successful  completion.  The  food  that 
he  had  brought,  and  the  knowledge  that  a  way  of 
retreat  was  open  to  them,  so  inspired  his  comrades 
with  new  courage,  that  they  had  no  longer  a  thought 
save  to  continue  the  struggle  until  the  city  should 
fall  into  their  hands.  They  also  remembered  their 
friends  across  the  bullet-swept  street,  and  deter 
mined  to  open  communication  with  them,  that  they, 
too,  might  share  the  welcome  supplies  just  brought 
in.  Above  all,  they  rejoiced  that  there  was  now  a 
chance  of  removing  their  wounded  to  the  compara 
tive  comforts  and  safety  of  the  camp. 

While  some  undertook  this  humane  but  arduous 
and  dangerous  task,  others  set  to  work  with  a  will 
to  dig  a  trench  across  the  street,  through  which  they 
might  crawl  to  the  Garza  house.  About  midnight 
it  was  completed,  coimnuiiicatioii  was  established,  and 


193  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

to  Milam's  men  was  extended  the  relief  from  hunger 
and  despair  that  Rex  had  brought. 

On  the  following  day,  both  sides  maintained  a 
steady  fire  from  daylight  without  accomplishing 
anything  of  importance  until  towards  night,  when 
the  Texans  rushing  from  the  Garza  house,  stormed 
and  carried  a  small  building  some  twenty  yards  away, 
and  thus  took  an  important  forward  step. 

Another  night  found  the  situation  comparatively 
unchanged,  and  was  passed  by  both  sides  in  strength 
ening  their  positions.  The  morning  of  the  7th  of 
December  found  a  new  intrenchment  thrown  up  on 
the  Alamo  side  of  the  river,  from  which  a  hot  fire 
was  poured  into  the  rear  of  the  Veramendi  house. 
This,  and  the  strong  batteries  commanding  the  direct 
route  to  the  plaza,  caused  Colonel  Milam  to  cast  about 
for  a  change  of  base,  and  a  more  favorable  direction 
of  attack.  He  sent  for  Rex,  and  together  they 
ascended  to  the  house-top,  where,  by  lying  flat,  they 
could,  with  comparative  safety,  overlook  the  scene 
of  conflict. 

"  Which  are  the  strongest  of  the  plaza  batteries  ?  " 
asked  Colonel  Milam. 

"  Those  commanding  the  streets  by  which  we 
entered  town,"  promptly  replied  Rex. 

"  And  where  is  its  weakest  point  ?  " 

"  At  the  northwest  corner  near  the  priest's  house." 

"  Can  you  see  the  priest's  house  from  here  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.     Zambrano  Row  is  in  the  way." 


FROM  HOUSE   TO  HOUSE  197 

"  Which  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  long  building  from  which  comes  that  steady 
firing." 

"Then  we  should  have  to  capture  it  first?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  And  the  houses  of  Navarro  and  of 
Yturri  as  well." 

"But  you  think  they  can  be  taken ?  " 

"  I  do,  sir.  The  convict  troops  will  never  stand 
for  a  hand-to-hand  fight." 

"  Good !  That  settles  it.  Those  houses  shall  be 
taken,  and  the  plaza  shall  be  carried  from  the  point 
you  name,  or  I  will  die  in  the  attempt ;  for  I  am  de 
termined  to  lead  every  charge  between  here  and 
there.  Come  with  me,  and  help  explain  this  new 
plan  to  Johnson." 

So  the  commander  arid  his  young  lieutenant 
walked  together  across  the  bullet-swept  street.  As 
the  former  disdained  to  stoop  behind  the  sand-bags 
that  had  only  been  piled  breast  high,  Rex  followed 
his  example,  and  both  walked  with  proudly  lifted 
heads.  At  the  very  entrance  to  the  Veramendi  house, 
within  reach  of  safety,  Colonel  Milam,  whose  face 
was  turned  with  a  smile  towards  his  companion,  gave 
a  convulsive  spring  and  fell  headlong,  his  brain 
pierced  by  a  Mexican  bullet. 

Rex  was  instantly  on  his  knees  beside  him,  but 
already  was  the  dauntless  spirit  fled,  and  the  name 
of  Benjamin  Milam  had  become  a  memory  to  be 
fondly  cherished  by  all  Texans  from  that  day. 


198  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

Colonel  Johnson,  instantly  summoned,  was  quickly 
beside  his  dead  friend ;  and,  across  the  motionless 
form,  Rex  outlined  to  the  new  commander  the  plan 
of  attack  that  Milam  had  just  decided  to  adopt. 

"  It  shall  be  carried  out  to  the  letter,"  cried  John 
son.  "  With  Ben  Milam's  spirit  to  lead  us,  and 
working  on  the  lines  he  has  laid  down,  we  cannot 
fail." 

Twenty  men  were  left  to  guard  the  dead,  and  the 
others  were  ordered  across  the  street.  When  the 
attacking  force  was  thus  consolidated  in  the  Garza 
house,  Johnson  announced  their  leader's  death,  and 
told  of  the  plan  he  had  formed.  "What  say  you 
men?  "  he  cried.  "  Shall  we  carry  out  Ben  Jlilam's 
last  wishes,  and  'follow  the  lead  of  his  brave  spirit  to 
victory  ?  " 

For  answer  there  came  a  yell  so  loud  and  fierce,  as 
to  be  heard  above  the  din  of  battle  even  in  the 
Mexican  plaza.  At  the  same  moment  a  private 
soldier  named  Henry  Karnes,  snatching  a  crowbar, 
sprang  forth  into  the  storm  of  bullets,  and  with 
mighty  blows  crushed  in  the  door  of  the  first  of  the 
four  buildings  Milam  had  decided  to  capture. 

For  a  moment  the  Texans  stood  aghast  at  the 
man's  audacity.  Then  a  score  of  them  dashed  after 
him,  and  in  two  minutes  the  house  was  taken,  with 
every  Mexican  who  had  defended  it  dead  or  put  to 
flight.  An  hour  later  the  Navarro  house  was 
stormed  and  captured  in  a  similar  manner.  On  the 


FROM  HOUSE  TO  HOUSE  191) 

following  morning  Zambrano  Row  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Texans,  after  a  fierce  struggle  for 
possession  of  each  thick-walled  apartment  of  its 
long  range. 

The  Mexicans  were  appalled  by  this  steady  ad 
vance,  and  sent  out  their  cavalry  to  attack  Burleson's 
camp,  in  the  hope  of  drawing  off  Johnson's  men  to 
its  defence.  But  the  camp  was  able  to  care  for 
itself,  and  the  cavalry  were  driven  back,  some  of  their 
pursuers  even  entering  the  city,  and  joining  their 
friends  in  Zambrano  Row. 

Thus  matters  stood  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  of 
December,  or  at  the  close  of  the  fourth  day  of 
fighting. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

A   GLORIOUS   TEXAN   VICTORY 

As  darkness  settled  over  the  stout  little  town, 
that  for  four  days  had  been  the  scene  of  heroic 
assault  and  stubborn  defence,  the  din  of  battle  died 
away,  the  hot  batteries  became  silent,  rifle  and  mus 
ket  were  laid  aside,  while  fierce-eyed  men,  smoke 
begrimmed,  and  haggard  with  weariness,  flung 
themselves  down  in  their  places  to  rest.  A  sullen 
quiet,  intensified  by  the  recent  uproar,  brooded  over 
the  place,  and  in  it  those  who  could  not  sleep  took 
anxious  thought  for  the  morrow.  They  knew  that 
the  crisis  had  been  reached,  and  that  within  a  few 
hours  more  the  fate  of  the  city  must  be  decided. 
On  one  side  the  Mexican  general,  nervously  smok 
ing  cigarettes,  weighed  the  chances  of  defence  and 
retreat ;  while,  on  the  other,  a  group  of  stern-faced 
Americans  talked  in  low  tones  of  the  final  assault 
that  they  hoped  would  lead  to  victory.  Near  them 
Rex  Harden,  stretched  at  length  on  the  blood-stained 
floor  of  beaten  clay,  lay  in  dreamless  sleep. 

As  the  hour  approached  midnight  one  of  the 
wakeful  group  rose  and  looked  at  him.  "  The  lad 

200 


A   GLORIOUS  TEXAN  VICTORY  201 

is  completely  done  up,"  he  said,  "  and  no  wonder. 
It  seems  cruel  to  disturb  him,  and  I  hate  to  do  it ; 
but  no  one  here  knows  the  haunts  of  the  greasers  so 
well  as  he,  and  we  dare  not  go  without  him."  So 
the  man,  who  was  a  grizzled  and  battle-stained  vet 
eran,  touched  the  sleeper's  smooth  forehead  lightly, 
and  the  latter  sat  up,  wide  awake. 

"  Has  the  time  come  already  ?  It  doesn't  seem  as 
though  I  had  more  than  closed  my  eyes." 

"  I  don't  suppose  it  does,  son,"  answered  the  man, 
"  and  yet  you  have  slept  like  the  dead  for  nearly  five 
hours,  and  in  as  many  minutes  more  we  must  start. 
Take  a  bite  and  a  sup  first,  though ;  for  we've  keen 
work  to  do  between  this  and  daylight." 

Others  of  the  group  who  had  kept  watch  were 
waking  other  sleepers,  and  one  hundred  dim  forms 
were  quietly  gathering  in  the  black  shadows  of 
Zambrano  Row.  All  were  heavily  armed,  and  some 
carried  picks,  iron  bars,  or  axes.  James  Bowie  was 
with  them,  and  Johnson.  They  were  to  lead  this 
midnight  assault. 

"  Remember  Ben  Milam,  boys  !  He  died  for  the 
liberty  we  still  must  fight  for,"  said  the  former  in 
low,  but  thrilling  tones. 

Then,  without  a  whisper,  and  with  guarded  steps, 
the  company  of  picked  men  moved  out  into  the 
night.  Guided  by  Rex  Harden,  they  took  their 
noiseless  way  towards  the  priest's  house  that  stood 
in  a  walled  enclosure  facing  the  plaza.  The  low 


202  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

wall  was  reached  without  an  alarm;  but  as  Rex 
surmounted  it  and  dropped  lightly  to  the  other  side, 
he  lighted  squarely  on  the  body  of  a  man  who  lay 
asleep  in  its  shadow,  and  who  uttered  a  yell  of  terror 
at  this  rude  awakening. 

The  spell  of  silence  was  broken,  and,  with  fierce 
answering  yells,  the  Texans  swarmed  over  the  wall 
regardless  of  a  heavy  fire  from  the  building  they 
sought  to  gain. 

"  Give  them  a  volley,  boys ;  then  charge  !  " 
shouted  Bowie,  and  in  a  moment  Rex,  crazed  with 
excitement,  found  himself  in  a  line  of  yelling  men, 
all  of  whom  were  racing  across  the  enclosure 
directly  in  the  face  of  those  blazing  muskets — five 
minutes,  or  it  might  have  been  an  hour,  for  all  the 
lad  knew,  of  curses  and  crashing  blows,  lightning 
flashes  and  thunders,  shrieks  and  yells,  and  then 
all  was  over.  The  convict  soldiers  who  had  filled 
the  house  poured  from  it  in  hurried  flight,  while  the 
Texans  hastened  their  steps  with  a  final  volley  and 
a  great  shout  of  victory.  Then  they  set  to  work 
barricading  doors  and  windows,  piercing  loop-holes 
through  the  thick  walls,  and  in  other  ways  preparing 
to  defend  their  prize. 

The  fire  of  the  enemy  had  by  this  time  become 
general  ;  and  so  terrific  was  the  uproar  that  it 
seemed  as  though  every  Mexican  gun  must  be  in 
active  play.  Artillery  thundered,  musketry  rattled 
incessantly,  and  though  but  few  shots  struck  the 


A  GLORIOUS  TEXAN  VICTORY  203 

building  for  which  they  were  intended,  the  air  was 
filled  with  screaming  missiles.  Unmindful  of  this 
uproar,  the  Texans  labored  steadily  at  their  barri 
cades,  until,  with  the  coming  of  dawn,  their  fortress 
was  practically  impregnable.  And  it  commanded 
the  plaza  in  which  the  enemy's  strength  had  been 
concentrated. 

Since  capturing  the  building  the  Texans  had 
not  fired  a  shot ;  and  now  they  stood  with  ready 
rifles,  awaiting  the  daylight  that  should  direct  their 
aim. 

Gradually  the  Mexican  fire  slackened  until  it 
finally  ceased ;  and  with  the  growing  light  the 
Texas  riflemen  looked  in  vain  for  a  foe.  The  plaza 
was  deserted,  not  a  gunner  manned  its  silent  batter 
ies,  not  a  soldier  wearing  the  hated  uniform  of 
Santa  Anna  was  to  be  seen. 

Yes,  there  was  one  slowly  crossing  the  plaza  in 
their  direction,  and  he  bore  the  white  flag  of  sur 
render.  General  Martin  Cos,  brother-in-law  to  the 
Mexican  President,  had  retreated  to  the  Alamo  with 
fourteen  hundred  men  ;  and  from  there  he  sent 
in  a  flag  of  truce.  The  fight  was  ended;  brave  Ben 
Milam's  plan  had  been  crowned  with  success,  and 
San  Antonio,  the  stronghold  of  Western  Texas,  was 
won  to  the  cause  of  freedom. 

At  first  the  three  hundred  Americans,  hollow- 
cheeked,  with  the  terrible  strain  of  their  four  days' 
fight,  unkempt,  and  powder-stained,  could  not  believe 


204  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

the  evidence  of  their  senses,  and  each  sought  in  the 
faces  of  his  comrades  the  assurance  that  what  he  saw 
was  true.  But  there  was  no  mistake  about  that 
white  flag;  no  enemy  was  in  sight,  and  his  silent 
batteries  were  clearly  deserted.  Yes,  the  city  was 
certainly  theirs  to  enter  at  will  and  do  with  as 
they  pleased. 

Their  moment  of  doubt  was  succeeded  by  a  wild 
rush  into  the  empty  plaza,  where  in  mad  jubilation 
they  embraced  and  danced,  yelled  themselves  hoarse 
with  cheering,  caused  the  church  bells  to  ring  peals 
of  joyous  music,  and,  for  a  short  space,  acted  more 
like  crazy  men  than  rational  beings.  Some  one  pro 
cured  a  white  blanket,  rudely  chopped  out  a  great 
star  from  a  blue  flannel  shirt,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  San  Antonio,  a  lone-star  flag  floated 
from  the  tower  of  the  cathedral.  At  sight  of  the 
glorious  emblem,  the  mad  uproar  of  jubilation  broke 
out  afresh,  and  no  voice  sought  to  stay  it. 

Soon  afterwards  the  troops  from  camp  came 
streaming  into  the  city,  gazing  with  eager  curiosity 
at  the  manifold  signs  of  the  recent  struggle,  and 
looking  with  envious  eyes  upon  the  heroes  of  the 
assault,  every  one  of  whom  walked  with  a  free  stride 
and  proudly  uplifted  head. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  town  peered  fearfully  at 
the  stalwart  victors  from  behind  closed  doors  and 
shuttered  windows,  but  gaining  courage,  as  they  saw 
no  sign  of  pillage,  they  finally  ventured  forth,  until 


A  GLORIOUS  TEXAN  VICTORY  205 

swart-faced  men,  women,  and  little  children  were 
mingling  freely  with  the  victors  and  even  sharing 
their  rejoicings.  In  the  Mexican  throng,  Rex  found 
his  friend,  the  little  'Rillo,  and  made  the  child 
supremely  happy  by  going  with  him  to  his  father, 
whom  he  assured  that  he  might  resume  his  business 
without  fears  of  molestation  from  the  Americans. 

That  same  morning  brave  Ben  Milam  was  buried 
with  all  the  honors  his  comrades  could  bestow,  in 
the  Veramendi  garden,  close  to  the  spot  where  the 
fatal  bullet  had  overtaken  him.  A  great  company 
assembled  to  see  him  laid  to  rest,  and  among  the 
foremost  at  his  grave  was  the  lad  to  whom,  more 
than  to  any  other,  was  due  the  capture  of  San  An 
tonio.  Tears  stood  in  his  eyes,  and  his  heart  was 
very  heavy  when  the  final  volley  rang  across  the  sol 
dier's  grave;  but  as  he  turned  sadly  away,  his  grief 
was  changed  to  a  sudden  joy.  Loving  arms  were 
flung  about  him,  and  he  heard  as  in  a  dream  the  voice 
of  his  own  dear  father,  uttering  fervent  thanks  for 
this,  his  boy,  who  had  been  lost,  but  was  found. 

"  They  sent  me  to  New  Orleans  on  a  mission,  son, 
and  only  upon  my  return  to  San  Felipe  did  I  learn 
that  you  had  disappeared  so  absolutely  that  it  was 
not  known  whether  you  were  dead  or  living.  I 
came  to  unravel,  if  I  could,  your  fate,  and  find  you, 
not  only  alive,  but  a  hero.  From  all  sides  I  hear 
words  of  praise  for  my  boy,  and  my  cup  of  happiness 
is  indeed  running  over." 


206  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Impatient  as  the  Hardens  now  were  to  leave  the 
city,  they  could  not  do  so  at  once,  for  they  must 
wait  to  witness  the  final  triumph,  and  three  days 
later  it  came.  Martin  Cos,  having  pledged  his  word 
that  neither  he,  his  officers,  nor  the  troops  under  his 
command,  should  ever  again  take  up  arms  for  the 
subjugation  of  Texas,  was  allowed  to  depart  with 
such  of  his  army  as  chose  to  follow  him. 

So,  on  the  14th  of  December,  the  flag  of  Mexico 
was  hauled  down  from  the  Alamo.  The  flag  of  free 
Texas  took  its  place,  and  the  glittering  but  humbled 
army  of  General  Cos  marched  away  towards  the  dis 
tant  Rio  Grande.  Three  hundred  of  his  soldiers 
had  chosen  to  remain  behind  and  cast  their  lot  with 
Texas,  while  there  also  remained  to  the  victors, 
twenty-one  pieces  of  artillery,  one  thousand  muskets, 
a  great  quantity  of  ammunition,  besides  clothing  and 
stores  of  all  kinds. 

Having  obtained  this  signal  victory,  and  driven 
the  enemy  from  the  fair  land  that  they  claimed  as 
their  own,  the  Texas  volunteers  dispersed  to  their 
homes,  leaving  Colonel  Johnson  with  a  small  body 
of  troops  to  hold  the  city  he  had  won. 

"  Now,  son,  let  us  go,"  said  Squire  Harden,  as, 
with  full  hearts,  he  and  Rex  watched  the  disappear 
ance  of  the  last  Mexican  troop.  "  There  are  others 
who,  though  they  doubtless  know  ere  this  of  your 
safety,  are  longing  to  greet  you.  I  left  your  mother 
and  the  girls  at  San  Felipe,  but  with  permission  to 


A   GLORIOUS   TEXAN   VICTORY  207 

come  on  as  far  as  Gonzales,  where  they  must  now 
impatiently  await  us." 

So  Squire  Harden  and  his  son,  James  Bowie,  Deaf 
Smith,  and  several  others,  whose  homes  lay  in  that 
direction,  rode  merrily  eastward,  along  the  Gonzales 
trail.  Rex  was,  of  course,  mounted  on  his  beloved 
Tawny,  who  seemed  to  know  as  well  as  any  one  that 
he  was  going  home. 

"We  will  stop  at  the  old  ranch  for  the  night," 
said  Squire  Harden,  "  though  I  fear  we  shall  find  it 
but  a  melancholy  camping-place.  It  looked  desolate 
enough  as  I  came  past  on  my  way  west,  though  I 
hadn't  the  time  to  stop,  nor  the  heart  to  enter  the 
house." 

The  short  winter  day  was  fading  into  twilight 
when  the  party  came  in  sight  of  the  Rancho  Herrera, 
and  for  a  moment  it  seemed  as  though  they  must  be 
mistaken  in  the  locality.  Instead  of  the  gloomy, 
deserted  building  they  had  expected  to  find,  every 
window  in  the  great  house  was  ablaze  with  light. 
Even  the  outlying  quarters  appeared  to  be  occupied, 
and  cheery  camp-fires  glowed  in  every  direction. 

"Some  scoundrels  have  dared  take  possession 
and  make  themselves  at  home,"  cried  the  squire, 
angrily  ;  "  but  we'll  quickly  rout  them  out.  Come 
on,  boys,  and  help  an  old  man  regain  possession 
of  the  home  his  son  has  fought  to  save." 

Thus  saying,  he  dashed  forward,  and  the  others 
followed  him ;  but  Tawny  outstripped  them  ail. 


208  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Thus  when  the  irate  squire  reined  sharply  up  be 
fore  the  entrance  to  his  own  house,  it  was  to  find 
Rex  clasped  in  his  mother's  arms,  with  Mabel, 
Nelita  Veramendi,  Aunty  Day,  and  a  dozen  ser 
vants  clustered  joyously  about  them. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

LIEUTENANT  HAKDEN   GAINS   HIS   COMMISSION 

"WE  could  not  wait  at  Gonzales,  Ellis,  when  we 
heard  the  glorious  news,"  explained  Mrs.  Harden, 
when  the  tumult  of  greeting  had  somewhat  sub 
sided.  "  It  seemed  as  though  we  must  come  on,  at 
least  as  far  as  our  own  home,  and  prepare  a  wel 
come  for  our  boy.  Besides,  such  a  fine  escort  was 
offered  us  that  we  really  couldn't  find  an  excuse 
for  refusing  to  accept  it." 

"Did  you  try  very  hard?"  laughed  the  squire. 

"Yes,  of  course.  But  we  couldn't,  because  it 
was  —  Why,  where  can  he  have  gone  ?  Oh,  here 
he  is  ! " 

At  that  moment  a  graceful,  soldierly  appearing 
young  fellow,  apparently  but  little  older  than  Rex, 
stepped  from  the  porch,  and  advanced  with  out 
stretched  hand. 

"  Will  Travis ! "  shouted  Rex,  springing  to  meet 
him.  "Dear  old  Will!  Oh!  how  glad  I  am  to 
see  you !  " 

"  Colonel  William  Barret  Travis,  of  the  Texas 
regulars,  if  you  please  ;  at  present,  superintendent 
of  the  recruiting  bureau,"  said  the  young  soldier, 

p  209 


210  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

with  assumed  pomposity,  as  he  grasped  the  hand  of 
his  old  schoolmate  and  well-loved  friend.  "  I  be 
lieve,"  he  continued,  "  I  have  the  honor  of  address 
ing  Lieutenant  Rector  Harden,  also  of  the  Texas 
regular  army." 

"Not  exactly,"  laughed  Rex.  "It  is  true  that 
some  of  the  fellows  at  Gonzales  did  elect  me  to  an 
office  in  a  moment  of  enthusiasm.  As  they  were 
only  volunteers,  though,  who  have  already  given  up 
soldiering  and  gone  home,  I  expect  my  military 
position  has  gone  with  them,  leaving  me  only  a 
high  private  in  the  home  guards." 

"Not  if  you  will  accept  this,"  rejoined  Travis, 
holding  out  an  official-looking  paper  as  he  spoke. 

As  Rex  examined  the  document  with  a  puzzled 
air,  his  friend  continued  : 

"  It  is  all  right,  old  man,  and  you  needn't  look  at 
it  as  though  it  were  a  sentence  of  banishment  back 
to  school.  It  is  a  genuine  O.  K.  commission  as 
lieutenant  in  the  regular  army  of  Texas,  signed  by 
Samuel  Houston,  Commander-in-chief.  The  recom 
mendation  came  from  Colonel  Milam,  and  was  writ 
ten  the  very  evening  before  you  all  started  in  to 
capture  San  Antonio.  How  I  wish  I  had  been  with 
you  !  but  with  good  luck  I'll  have  a  chance  to  do 
some  righting  yet.  General  Houston  wrote  out  the 
commission  at  once,  and  requested  me  to  offer  it  to 
you.  Therefore,  Lieutenant  Harden,  I  have  the 
honor,  etc.,  etc." 


LIEUTENANT   HARDEN   GAINS   HIS   COMMISSION     211 

"  But  what  is  the  use  of  an  army,  now  ?  "  asked 
Rex.  "We  have  driven  the  Mexicans  out  of 
Texas,  and  General  Cos  has  given  his  parole  not 
to  fight  against  us  any  more." 

"  Ho,  ho  !  "  laughed  Travis.  "  And  they  won't 
come  back  again  with  an  army  ten  times  as  strong, 
and  Santa  Anna  won't  lift  a  finger  to  recover  Texas, 
and  old  Cos  won't  forget  all  about  his  parole  as 
soon  as  it  is  convenient  to  do  so,  and  we  haven't 
got  a  bitter  fight  ahead  of  us  before  winning  our 
independence,  —  oh  no,  not  at  all !  But  all  those 
things  are  going  to  happen,  old  man  ;  and  we've 
got  to  prepare  for  them  while  \ve  are  given  time  for 
preparation.  To  begin  with,  we  want  every  son 
of  Texas  who  has  had  any  sort  of  a  military  train 
ing  to  help  us  work  up  our  splendid  fighting  mate 
rial  that  now  exists  in  the  shape  of  raw  recruits. 
So,  my  boy,  you'll  please  accept  this  commission 
without  another  word,  and  walk  in  to  supper  with 
such  dignity  as  becomes  an  officer  in  the  regular 
army  of  Texas.  If  I  can't  enlist  my  best  friends, 
why  am  I  chief  of  the  recruiting  service,  I'd  like  to 
know  ?  " 

During  this  conversation,  these  two  had  drawn 
a  little  to  one  side,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
joyous  company  had  either  gone  to  the  corrals  with 
their  horses,  or  entered  the  house.  At  the  supper- 
table,  where  all  were  shortly  afterwards  assembled, 
Travis  announced  the  young  lieutenant's  accept- 


212  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

ance  of  his  commission,  which  was  loudly  cheered, 
and  made  a  short  address  upon  the  present  condi 
tion  and  future  prospects  of  Texas.  He  repeated 
what  he  had  said  to  Rex,  and  made  an  earnest 
appeal  to  every  man  present  to  hold  himself  in  con 
stant  readiness  for  a  call  to  the  field.  Squire 
Harden  and  James  Bowie  talked  in  similar  strain ; 
and  thus  while  this  gathering  was  still  the  most  joy 
ful  that  the  Rancho  Herrera  had  ever  witnessed,  its 
mirth  was  tempered  by  sober  thought  for  the  future. 

On  the  following  morning,  while  those  of  the  party 
who  were  to  continue  their  journey  were  collected 
before  the  house  bidding  farewell  to  those  who  were 
to  remain,  there  came  a  striking  confirmation  of  the 
warning  words  spoken  the  evening  before.  A  very 
humble  appearing  group  of  wayfarers,  consisting  of  a 
man  on  foot  leading  a  donkey  on  which  was  seated 
a  woman  holding  a  child,  had  halted  in  front  of  the 
ranch.  They  were  Mexicans,  and,  as  they  looked 
irresolutely  at  the  horsemen,  apparently  afraid  to 
approach  them,  and  yet  anxious  to  do  so,  one  of 
the  latter  rode  out  to  inquire  what  they  wanted. 

A  moment  later  he  returned  looking  puzzled. 
"  The  man  first  said  that  he  wished  to  see  El  Tonto," 
he  announced,  "  but  when  I  told  him  there  were  no 
fools  about  here,  he  apologized,  and  said  he  meant 
the  son  of  the  Senor  Harden.  At  that  I  came  mighty 
near  knocking  him  down,  and  will  do  so  now  if  the 
lieutenant  gives  the  word." 


LIEUTENANT   HARDEN   GAINS   HIS   COMMISSION     213 

"Not  on  any  account,"  Rex  said.  "  El  Tonto 
is  the  name  I  have  answered  to  for  the  past  month, 
and  probably  that  chap  never  heard  me  called  by 
any  other.  I  wonder,  though,  how  he  knew  who  I 
was?  I  thought  only  Tejada  was  aware  of  my  real 
identity." 

"Suppose  you  go  and  ask  him,"  suggested  Travis. 

"  A  bright  idea  that  was  flashing  through  my  own 
mind  at  that  very  moment,"  laughed  Rex,  starting 
towards  the  waiting  group  by  the  roadside. 

As  he  drew  near  to  them,  those  who  watched  were 
amazed  to  see  him  advance  eagerly,  and  shake  hands 
in  the  most  cordial  manner,  first  with  the  man  and 
then  with  the  woman.  Then  they  talked  earnestly 
together  for  several  minutes,  after  which  he  started 
back,  bringing  the  strangers  with  him. 

"  Father,"  he  cried  as  they  approached,  "  this  is 
Sebastien  Tejada,  who  not  only  saved  my  life,  but 
did  everything  in  his  power  to  make  me  comfortable 
while  I  was  a  prisoner  in  San  Antonio.  And  this  is 
his  wife,  who  also  did  me  a  good  turn  at  Espada,  you 
know,  and  the  baby  is  the  little  Sebastien." 

"  For  your  sake  they  are  more  than  welcome,"  said 
the  squire,  heartily  ;  "  but  what  fetches  them  here  ?  " 

"  To  seek  safety  for  themselves,  father,  and  to 
bring  us  a  warning.  Sebastien  was  one  of  the 
troops  who  preferred  to  remain  a  Texan  rather  than 
go  with  Cos  to  Mexico.  The  night  after  their  sur 
render  the  Mexicans  camped  at  the  mission.  There 


214  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

this  woman  overheard  the  general  say  that,  as  a 
promise  made  to  heretics  was  not  binding,  he  should 
speedily  return  with  another  army.  Then  he  should 
make  it  his  especial  business  to  kill  every  Mexican 
who  had  chosen  the  cause  of  freedom,  as  well  as 
every  Texan  who  had  borne  arms  against  Santa 
Anna.  After  the  troops  had  left  and  her  husband 
reappeared  at  the  mission,  the  woman  told  him  what 
she  had  heard,  and  begged  him  to  fly  to  some  place 
of  safety.  As  Tejada  believes  that  Cos  really  will 
return  and  carry  out  his  threats,  at  least  so  far  as  the 
Mexicans  who  have  joined  our  cause  are  concerned, 
he  readily  consented  to  do  so,  and  remembering  me, 
has  come  to  us  for  advice  and  assistance." 

"Both  of  which  they  shall  have/'  said  Squire 
Harden,  giving  the  Mexican's  brown  hand  a  friendly 
grasp.  "  They  shall  stay  here  for  the  present,  and  if 
Cos  ever  is  so  forgetful  of  his  plighted  honor  as  to 
attempt  to  carry  out  his  threat,  then  will  I  endeavor 
to  provide  for  their  further  safety.  But  I  cannot 
think  that  even  he  will  descend  to  such  baseness." 

"He  will,  though  !  "  exclaimed  Travis,  "and  this 
man's  story  only  goes  to  confirm  what  I  said  last 
night.  So,  my  friends,  I  beg  of  you  to  be  on  the 
alert,  and  remember  that  those  who  would  win  Texas 
have  still  to  fight  for  her.  Now,  squire,  I  must  be 
off  ;  so,  au  revoir,  for  a  time.  Rex,  be  sure  that  you 
report  to  Houston  early  in  the  new  year.  Good-by, 
men,  till  we  meet  again." 


LIEUTENANT   HARDEN   GAINS   HIS   COMMISSION     215 

Thus  saying,  the  dashing  young  officer  clapped 
spurs  to  his  horse  and  rode  away,  while  those  who 
watched  him  out  of  sight  had  little  thought  that,  in 
a  few  short  weeks,  he  would  have  passed  from  among 
them  forever,  leaving  behind  him  a  fame  as  undying 
as  history  itself. 

The  breaking  up  of  that  company  was  quickly 
followed  by  the  assembling  of  another  at  the  same 
place,  for  the  Christmas  festivities  of  the  Rancho 
Herrera  never  lacked  for  guests.  In  spite  of  the 
anxieties  of  that  year,  or  perhaps  on  account  of 
them,  the  fun  and  frolic  of  the  season  had  never 
been  so  enjoyed  or  kept  up  with  such  spirit.  Will 
Travis  was  there,  and  James  Bowie,  the  first  coming 
from  his  recruiting-station  at  San  Felipe,  and  the 
other  from  Goliad,  where  he  was  raising  a  force  for 
the  invasion  of  Mexico.  All  the  hard-riding  Texas 
youths  from  fifty  miles  about,  with  their  sisters 
and  sweethearts,  were  gathered  under  the  hospitable 
roofs  of  the  great  ranch.  With  them  came  many 
strangers  from  the  States,  who  had  volunteered  to 
aid  in  the  struggle  for  freedom,  and  to  whom  the 
occasion  was  a  fascinating  novelty. 

The  days  were  filled  with  shooting-matches,  hunt 
ing,  horse-racing,  and  feasting  ;  the  nights  with 
music  and  dancing.  Nor  did  our  young  lieutenant 
neglect  this  opportunity  for  enrolling  a  number  of 
his  festive  friends  into  a  military  company,  and  pre 
paring  them,  with  daily  drills,  for  the  emergency 


216  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

of  war  that  all  felt  might  arise  with  the  coming 
year. 

After  this  happy  season  was  ended  the  ranch  had 
hardly  settled  to  its  everyday  routine,  before  it  was 
again  thrown  into  a  flutter  of  excitement.  This 
time  the  cause  was  a  visit  from  the  most  famous  of 
Texans,  General  Sam  Houston.  As  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  army,  he  was  on  his  way  to  Goliad  to 
direct  the  movements  of  the  forces  gathering  in  the 
southwest  for  an  invasion  of  Mexico.  This  future 
President  of  the  Republic  was  at  that  time  a  man 
in  the  prime  of  life,  possessed  of  a  well-informed 
mind,  a  clear  brain,  great  physical  powers,  and  a 
commanding  presence.  A  single  glance  at  his  reso 
lute,  clean-shaven  face  showed  him  to  be  a  natural 
leader  of  men,  and  Rex  Harden,  who  now  met  him 
for  the  first  time,  at  once  yielded  him  the  homage 
of  implicit  confidence  and  honest  admiration.  He 
in  turn  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  young  lieu 
tenant  that  he  appointed  him  a  member  of  his  staff 
and  took  him  away  to  Goliad. 

After  that,  for  another  month  the  peace  of  the 
ranch  was  only  disturbed  by  rumors  and  counter- 
rumors  brought  by  passing  travellers.  Then,  about 
the  middle  of  February,  the  quiet  household  was 
startled  late  one  night  by  the  sound  of  rapidly  gal 
loping  hoofs.  Evidently  a  horseman  was  approach 
ing  who  rode  with  urgent  speed.  They  had  barely 
time  to  exchange  glances  of  anxious  inquiry  when 


LIEUTENANT  HARDEN  GAINS   HIS   COMMISSION     217 

the    door    was   flung   open,    and    Rex,    flushed   and 
trembling  with  hard  riding,  stood  before  them. 

Ere  they  could  utter  the  joyous  welcome  that 
sprang  to  their  lips,  he  announced  his  news. 
"  Santa  Anna  himself,  with  an  army  of  six  thousand 
men,  has  crossed  the  Rio  Grande,  and  is  marching 
toward  San  Antonio  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

SANTA  ANNA  INVADES  TEXAS 

NEVER  had  Texas  been  so  ill  prepared  to  resist 
an  invasion,  as  when  Santa  Anna,  most  able,  most 
vindictive,  and  most  merciless  of  Mexicans,  led 
an  army  across  the  frontier  to  make  a  terrible 
example  of  the  people  who  had  dared  declare 
for  liberty.  The  provisional  governor  of  the  state 
was  engaged  in  a  bitter  quarrel  with  the  Council 
of  Safety  —  each  countermanded  the  other's  orders 
until  none  knew  which  to  obey.  Sam  Houston, 
the  strongest  man  in  Texas,  had  been  recalled  from 
the  southwest,  temporarily  relieved  from  command 
of  the  army,  and  sent  off  to  make  a  treaty  with  an 
Indian  tribe. 

In  the  southwest  a  few  hundred  armed  men  at 
Goliad,  San  Patricio,  Victoria,  and  Refugio,  under 
leadership  of  Johnson,  Fannin,  Bowie,  and  Grant, 
each  of  whom  aspired  to  the  supreme  command,  pro 
posed  invading  Mexico.  Only  eighty  men  were  left 
at  San  Antonio,  and  these,  stripped  of  horses,  pro 
visions,  ammunition,  clothing,  blankets,  and  medical 
stores  by  their  comrades  who  had  gone  south,  were 
in  a  pitiful  state  of  weakness  and  destitution. 

218 


SANTA  ANNA   INVADES   TEXAS  219 

The  post  was  so  defenceless  and  ill  prepared  to 
resist  an  attack  that  one  of  General  Houston's  latest 
acts  as  commander-in-chief  was  to  send  James  Bowie 
and  thirty  men  to  that  point,  with  orders  to  demolish 
the  fortifications,  and  transfer  the  artillery  to  a  place 
of  safety.  For  want  of  teams  with  which  to  remove 
the  guns,  this  order  could  not  be  obeyed.  So 
Bowie  remained  in  command  of  the  city,  impatiently 
awaiting  the  aid  that  he  urgently  requested,  and 
doing  everything  in  his  power  to  inspire  his  scanty 
garrison  with  confidence  as  well  as  to  provide  for 
their  more  pressing  needs.  Finally  even  his  splen 
did  constitution  broke  down  beneath  a  crushing 
weight  of  anxiety,  disappointment,  and  overwork, 
and  he  lay  in  the  Veramendi  house  tossing  with 
fever.  At  this  juncture  Colonel  Travis  was  re 
lieved  from  his  recruiting  duties  at  San  Felipe,  and 
despatched  with  a  score  of  men  to  San  Antonio  to 
take  command  in  place  of  fever-stricken  Bowie. 

All  this  time  there  were  no  funds  available  for 
the  payment  of  troops,  or  the  equipping  of  an  army. 
The  people  were  paralyzed  by  the  quarrels  of  their 
chosen  rulers.  The  men  dared  not  leave  their  homes 
unprotected,  and  so  declined  service  in  the  field. 
They  also  seemed  to  think  that  there  would  be 
enough  volunteers  from  the  United  States  to  fight 
the  battles  of  Texas,  and  win  her  freedom.  This 
was  the  hope  of  those  who  admitted  the  possibility 
of  an  invasion  from  Mexico,  and  a  necessity  for 


220  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

further  fighting.  As  many  more  declared  that  there 
would  be  no  war,  and  that  Santa  Anna  would  never 
dare  cross  the  Rio  Grande. 

Holding  these  conflicting  opinions,  the  people  still 
awaited  hopefully  the  meeting  of  a  convention  that 
had  been  summoned  to  assemble  at  Washington  on 
the  Brazos  by  the  1st  of  March.  This  convention 
was  to  declare  the  independence  of  Texas,  adopt  a 
constitution,  and  under  it  elect  officers.  When  this 
was  done,  all  would  be  well,  and  Texas  would  set 
forth  on  a  career  of  unexampled  prosperity.  So  the 
majority  of  Texans  believed,  and  they  also  looked  to 
this  convention  to  provide  by  some  means  for  the 
safety  of  the  state. 

In  the  meantime  the  Mexican  President,  knowing 
nothing  of  conventions  and  caring  less,  was  straining 
every  nerve  to  assemble  a  powerful  and  well-equipped 
army  whose  first  act  should  be  to  regain  possession 
of  San  Antonio.  At  the  Rio  Grande  he  was  joined 
by  General  Cos,  and  his  paroled  troops.  Santa  Anna 
at  once  ordered  these  to  face  about  and  inarch  back 
into  Texas,  which  order,  in  spite  of  his  pledged  word, 
Martin  Cos  obeyed  without  a  protest. 

A  friendly  scout  riding  night  and  day  across  the 
desert  lying  east  of  the  Rio  Grande  carried  news  of 
the  invasion  to  Goliad,  and  as  he  entered  the  little 
town,  reeling  from  exhaustion,  his  horse  fell  dead 
beneath  him.  The  same  messenger  brought  word 
that  General  Urrea,  with  one  thousand  men,  was 


SANTA  ANNA  INVADES  TEXAS        221 

ordered  to  advance  from  Matamoras  upon  San 
Patricio,  Refugio,  and  Goliad.  After  the  small 
forces  at  these  places  were  wiped  out  the  Mexican 
armies  were  to  unite,  and  sweep  across  Texas  like  a 
devastating  flood. 

This  was  the  startling  news  that  Rex  Harden  had 
brought  from  Goliad,  and  which  he  was  commis 
sioned  to  carry  with  all  speed  to  San  Antonio. 
Mounted  on  Tawny  the  tireless,  he  had  covered 
ninety  miles  in  less  than  ten  hours.  Now  with  one 
hour  for  rest  and  refreshment,  he  must  again  be  off 
so  as  to  reach  his  destination  by  daylight. 

"I  don't  believe  that  there  is  another  horse  in 
Texas  could  have  done  it,  father,"  said  the  lad,  with 
honest  pride. 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is,  son.  But  what  are  you 
going  to  do  after  you  reach  San  Antonio  ?  " 

"  Ride  on  whatever  errand  Travis  may  send  me, 
or  stay  and  fight  beside  him  if  he  so  desires." 

"  But  with  his  handful  of  men  he  hasn't  a  ghost 
of  a  chance  against  Santa  Anna/' 

"  Behind  the  walls  of  one  of  the  missions  he  might 
hold  the  Mexicans  in  check  until  the  country  could 
be  aroused  and  a  force  raised  for  his  relief,  since 
Santa  Anna  would  never  dare  come  on  leaving 
Travis  in  his  rear.  Don't  you  think  so,  sir  ?  " 

44  There  is  some  sense  in  that.  But  who  is  going 
to  arouse  the  men  of  Texas,  and  collect  this  army 
you  speak  of  ?  " 


222  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  You  are,  sir,  or  at  least  I  hope  you  will  make  the 
attempt.  Fannin  and  Johnson  and  all  of  them  are 
agreed  that  if  it  can  be  done,  you  are  the  one  mem 
ber  of  the  council  who  can  do  it.  So  they  beg  of 
you  to  make  the  effort.  Part  of  my  present  errand 
was  to  tell  you  this,  and  that  is  why  I  was  allowed 
to  come  by  the  longer  road." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  can,  son ;  but  I  fear  it  won't  be 
much,  for  I  don't  believe  the  angel  Gabriel  could 
rouse  our  people  to  action  before  the  meeting  of  the 
convention.  I  was  going  to  leave  for  Washington 
next  week,  anyway ;  but  now  we'll  start  in  the 
morning.  You  and  the  girls  can  be  ready  by  that 
time,  can't  you,  wife  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  know  you  intended  us  to  accompany 
you  to  Washington,  Ellis  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Harden, 
who  with  Mabel  and  Nelita  had  been  eager  listeners 
to  this  conference. 

"  I  did  not,  my  dear  ;  but  I  do.  What  use  should 
I  be  in  Washington  if  I  had  the  thought  of  you  left 
here  in  the  face  of  danger  to  distract  my  mind  ?  " 

"  But,  Ellis,  I  can't  leave  my  home  again.  I  did 
not  believe  it  was  necessary  before,  and  now  I  am 
confident  it  is  not.  Santa  Anna  surely  does  not 
war  with  women,  and  no  Mexican  would  harm  a 
daughter  of  the  Veramendi.  So  with  Nelita  here, 
our  home  will  certainly  be  safe  ;  while  if  we  should 
desert  it,  the  first  vagabond  who  came  along  might 
destroy  it.  Besides,  the  Mexicans  may  never  pass 


SANTA  ANNA   INVADES   TEXAS  223 

San  Antonio ;  and  if  they  do,  we  shall  have  warning 
in  ample  time  to  escape.  Rex  will  be  close  at  hand, 
and  so  will  Bowie,  to  say  nothing  of  Will  Travis  and 
his  brave  fellows.  No,  dear,  you  will  do  your  part 
much  better  without  us,  and  we  shall  be  safer  here 
without  you  ;  for  you  would  want  to  defend  our 
home  with  your  strength,  while  we  shall  do  it  more 
effectively  with  our  very  helplessness." 

With  these  and  similar  arguments  the  resolute 
woman  finally  carried  her  point,  so  that,  by  the  time 
Rex  was  ready  to  resume  his  journey  to  San  An 
tonio,  Squire  Harden  was  also  on  horseback  and 
ready  to  start  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Even  as  they  were  bidding  farewell  to  the  dear 
ones  who  were  to  remain  behind,  a  sound  of  hoof- 
beats  from  the  direction  of  Gonzales  announced  a 
new  arrival,  and  all  waited  with  anxious  interest  to 
see  who  it  might  be. 

In  another  moment  a  middle-aged  stranger,  who 
by  the  light  streaming  from  an  open  doorway  was 
seen  to  be  clad  wholly  in  buckskin,  rode  up  and  in 
quired  if  this  were  the  Rancho  Herrera. 

"  It  is,  sir,"  replied  the  proprietor. 

"Then  mebbe  I  have  the  pleasure  of  speaking  to 
Colonel  Harden  ?  " 

"  Squire  Harden  is  the  title  more  generally  be 
stowed  upon  me,  though  I  have  not  the  shadow  of  a 
claim  to  it." 

"  Squire  or  colonel,  it's  much  the  same,  for  no  man 


224  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

gits  a  handle  to  his  name  without  arning  it  one  way 
or  another.  Now,  I  never  riz  to  be  rightly  more 
than  a  cap'n  under  old  Hickory,  but  the  boys  will 
have  it  that  I'd  ought  to  been  made  colonel,  and 
so  Colonel  Crockett  is  what  I  answers  to  from  the 
Arkansaw  to  the  Potomac." 

"Not  Colonel  David  Crockett  of  Tennessee  ?  " 
"  The  same,  sir,  at  your  sarvice,  and  as  hot  now 
for  a  scrimmage  as  ever  I  was.  That's  why  I'm 
down  here  in  Texas  ;  for  they  say  up  in  the  States 
that  there's  a  right  smart  chance  of  old  Santy  Ann 
coming  this  'er'  way,  though  there's  a  plenty  to  bet 
he  won't  dast  do  it." 

"  Colonel  Crockett,  I  am  proud  to  meet  you,  sir," 
exclaimed  Squire  Harden,  urging  his  horse  to  the 
other's  side  and  extending  his  hand.  "  I've  long 
known  you  by  reputation  as  an  honest  man  and  a 
brave  soldier.  If  you  have  come  to  aid  Texas  in  her 
time  of  need,  she  has  every  reason  to  be  grateful 
to  you.  Nor  could  your  arrival  have  been  more 
timely ;  for  my  son  here  has  just  brought  word  that 
Santa  Anna  has  already  crossed  the  Rio  Grande  at 
the  head  of  an  army  with  which  he  first  intends  to 
retake  San  Antonio.  At  this  moment  my  boy  is 
about  to  ride  west  to  notify  Travis  of  the  Mexican 
advance,  while  I  am  about  to  travel  east  by  way  of 
Gonzales  to  rouse  the  country.  Under  the  circum 
stances  I  know  you  will  excuse  my  apparent  lack  of 
courtesy  in  leaving  you  ;  but  if  you  will  accept  the 


SANTA  ANNA   INVADES   TEXAS  225 

hospitality  of  the   Rancho    Herrera  as  extended  by 
my  wife,  you  will  be  made  more  than  welcome." 

"  Squire,  you  do  me  proud,  and  I  thank  you  same 
as  if  I'd  camped  in  your  ranch  for  a  month.  But 
if  Santy  Ann  is  really  travelling  towards  San  An 
tonio,  it's  high  time  I  was  making  a  trail  to  the  same 
place  so  as  to  be  on  hand  to  say  4  howdy '  when  he 
gets  thar.  So  if  you've  no  objection,  squire,  'stead 
of  lighting  as  I  had  intended,  I'll  just  ride  on  in 
company  with  your  boy,  and  not  detain  you  another 
minute  from  the  duty  you  have  undertaken.  Even 
ing,  ladies  !  So  long,  squire  !  Come  on,  young  man." 

Thus  saying,  this  quaint  character,  then  at  the 
height  of  his  fame  as  a  stump  orator,  a  backwoods 
politician,  a  fearless  fighter,  and  the  deadliest  rifle 
shot  in  America,  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  rode 
away  into  the  darkness  from  which  he  had  emerged 
but  a  minute  before. 

With  a  quick  "  Good-by,  mother  !  Good-by, 
father  !  Good-by,  girls  !  "  Rex  leaped  on  Tawny's 
back  and  followed  him  ;  while,  after  listening  a  mo 
ment  to  the  hoof-beats  of  the  two  steeds,  the  brave 
old  squire  also  bade  his  dear  ones  farewell  and 
started  to  bear  onward  through  the  night  the 
momentous  message  brought  by  his  son. 
Q 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

THE  OATH   OF  NO   SURRENDER 

IN  spite  of  Tawny's  long  journey  from  Goliad, 
one  hour  of  rest  and  feeding  had  put  him  in  such 
condition  that  he  speedily  overtook  the  horse  ridden 
by  David  Crockett. 

"You're  sure,  son,  thar's  no  mistake  about  old 
Santy  Ann  being  headed  this  'er'  way  ?  "  asked  the 
latter,  as  Rex  slackened  Tawny's  pace  to  ride  beside 
him. 

"  There  is  no  doubt  of  it,  sir  ;  and  unless  he 
changes  his  plans,  he  will  certainly  appear  before 
San  Antonio  within  three  or  four  days." 

"  Then  I'm  in  luck  at  last,"  rejoined  he  of  the 
buckskin  suit,  "  though  I  must  say  I  was  beginning 
to  think  I  should  be  disappointed  after  all.  Back 
in  Arkansaw  everybody  was  sartin  thar  was  going 
to  be  the  biggest  kind  of  a  fight  down  here  ;  but, 
the  further  south  I  come,  the  less  I  heard  of  it. 
Lately,  right  here  in  Texas,  I've  been  told  the  war 
was  all  over,  and  the  greasers  would  never  dare 
show  their  faces  this  side  the  Rio  Grande  again. 
So  I  began  to  think  perhaps  I  was  barking  up  the 


THE   OATH  OF  NO  SURRENDER  227 

wrong  tree  after  all.  I'll  confess  I  was  mighty  low 
spirited  when  I  pulled  up  at  your  paw's  place  awhile 
ago ;  but  now  I'm  all  right  again  in  my  mind." 

"Are  you,  then,  so  very  fond  of  fighting,  sir?" 

"  Son,  I'm  the  peaceablest  man  you  ever  see,  'cept- 
ing  when  it  comes  to  a  question  of  right  or  wrong : 
then  I'm  a  fighter  for  the  right  every  time.  I 
always  say  to  the  boys,  4  Be  sure  you're  right,  then 
go  ahead  and  never  mind  the  consequences.'  That's 
been  my  motter  ever  since  I  can  remember,  and  I 
expect  it'll  be  the  death  of  me  some  day." 

"  How  so,  sir  ?  " 

"  Because,  boy,  thar's  so  many  wrongs  to  be  fought 
agin  and  whipped  into  rights,  that  I  can't  expect 
to  live  long  enough  to  see  'em  all  settled.  So  I'll 
probably  die  fighting  for  some  one  or  the  other  of 
them.  I  hope  it'll  turn  out  that  'er'  way,  too,  for  I 
couldn't  a  bear  to  die  peaceful  long  as  thar  was 
necessary  fighting  to  be  done." 

"That  sounds  very  much  like  Don  Quixote," 
laughed  Rex. 

"  Don't  think  I'm  acquainted  with  the  gentleman. 
I  reckon,  though,  he  must  be  some  sort  of  a  greaser, 
from  the  name." 

"  He  was  a  Spaniard,"  admitted  Rex,  "  who  went 
about  in  search  of  wrongs  that  he  might  set  right." 

"  That  don't  sound  like  a  greaser,"  reflected 
Crockett ;  "  for  I  never  heard  of  one  of  the  breed 
going  into  a  fight  'cept  'twas  on  the  wrong  side." 


228  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  But  there  have  been  good  Spaniards,"  argued 
Rex, 

"  Mebbe  thar  has  been  some  with  good  intentions, 
son,  but  always  mistook  in  their  ideas  of  right  and 
wrong,  —  leastways  I  never  met  up  with  any  other 
kind,  nor  do  I  think  I'm  likely  to  on  this  particular 
hunt." 

In  listening  to  the  quaint  conceptions  of  this 
strange  man,  Rex  found  time  pass  so  quickly  that 
the  distance  to  San  Antonio  had  never  seemed  so 
short.  By  sunrise  the  little  city  lay  before  them 
seemingly  as  peaceful  as  though  no  sound  nor  threat 
of  war  had  ever  disturbed  its  serenity. 

The  sun  shone  brightly,  the  air  was  deliciously 
mild,  the  timber  of  the  river  bottom  was  clothed 
in  the  green  gauze  of  earliest  spring,  and  the  whole 
scene  was  one  of  such  quiet  beauty,  that  the  tall 
hunter  from  Arkansas  declared  it  to  be  one  of  the 
likeliest  places  to  fight  for  that  he  had  ever  run 
across. 

Both  travellers  received  the  warmest  possible  wel 
come  from  Travis,  —  Rex  on  account  of  the  strong 
friendship  existing  between  them,  and  Colonel 
Crockett  because  of  his  wide-spread  reputation. 
At  the  news  brought  by  the  former,  the  young 
commander's  face  grew  very  grave,  and  he  said  at 
once  : 

"If  Santa  Anna  comes  now,  there  is  no  possible 
chance  of  holding  the  town  against  him,  since  we 


THE   OATH  OF  NO  SURRENDER  229 

have  neither  men,  powder,  nor  provisions.  Colonel, 
you  have  just  crossed  the  entire  state ;  what  hope  is 
there  for  ree'nf orcements  ?  " 

"  A  mighty  slim  chance,  colonel,  I'm  afeared,  till 
after  convention  meets.  You  see  the  whole  country 
is  plumb  crazy  over  politics  just  now,  and  they 
won't  think  of  a  thing  else  till  after  the  first  of 
March.  Then,  if  the  convention  does  the  right 
thing,  and  puts  Sam  Houston  back  as  commander- 
in -chief,  thar'll  be  some  show,  for  that  man  will 
bring  help  if  he  has  to  come  alone.  Then  thar'll 
be  fun  too ;  for  when  him  and  old  Santy  Ann  gets 
into  a  scrimmage,  one  of  'em  is  going  to  be  almightily 
licked,  and  that  one  ain't  going  to  be  Sam  Houston, 
nuther." 

"Then  you  think  that  if  we  can  hold  out  until 
the  first  of  March,  aid  will  be  sent  us  ? " 

"  I  do,  colonel ;  and  moreover,  if  you  can  check 
Santy  Ann's  advance  till  then,  you  will  not  only 
give  Texas  time  to  wake  up,  but  you  will  give  hun 
dreds  of  defenceless  families  a  chance  to  escape  to 
places  of  safety." 

"  Then,  gentlemen,  I  pledge  you  my  word  that,  so 
long  as  I  live  and  an  enemy  remains  in  sight,  I  will 
never  surrender  this  place  nor  leave  it." 

As  he  uttered  these  words,  the  face  of  the  young 
commander  took  on  an  expression  of  fixed  resolve 
and  high  purpose,  that  was  never  forgotten  by  those 
who  saw  it. 


230  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

"  Colonel  !"  exclaimed  Crockett,  "you've  spoke 
like  a  man,  and  expressed  sentiments  that  is  like 
wise  mine.  Such  being  the  case,  I'll  back  you  up 
till  death  in  maintaining  of  'em,  and  thar's  my  hand 
on  it." 

In  the  firm  hand-clasp  that  followed,  a  friendship 
was  cemented  between  those  widely  differing  speci 
mens  of  western  civilization,  that  was  not  dissolved 
during  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 

"Now  let's  go  in  and  tell  the  news  to  Bow.ie," 
said  Travis.  Then,  for  the  first  time  Rex  realized 
that  their  slow  walk  had  led  them  to  the  Veramendi 
house ;  and  that  the  compact  he  had  just  witnessed 
had  been  made  on  the  very  spot  where  brave  Ben 
Milam  gave  up  his  life  in  the  cause  of  freedom. 

They  found  Bowie  still  in  bed  and  nursed  by  a 
Mexican  woman  who  was  indebted  to  him  for  past 
kindnesses.  Although  slowly  regaining  strength,  he 
was  filled  with  the  impatient  irritableness  of  a  con 
valescent,  and  bewailed  his  helpless  condition.  At 
sight  of  his  friends  he  visibly  brightened,  and  he 
expressed  a  sincere  pleasure  at  again  meeting  with 
David  Crockett.  But  the  best  tonic  that  could  have 
been  given  him  was  the  great  news  brought  by  Rex. 

"  Santa  Anna  across  the  Rio  Grande  !  "  he  cried. 
"Then,  boys,  I  mustn't  lie  here  an  hour  longer." 
With  this  he  sat  up  in  bed  and  continued  excitedly, 
"Travis,  you  won't  let  him  luive  San  Antonio  with 
out  fighting  for  it,  will  you?  " 


THE   OATH   OF  NO   SURRENDER  231 

"No,  James,  I  will  not,"  answered  the  other. 
"Nor  then,  if  I  can  help  it;  for  I  have  just  pledged 
my  word  never  to  surrender  nor  retreat,  and  friend 
Crockett  here  has  promised  to  stay  with  me  to  the 
end." 

"You  must  let  me  in  on  that,  boys,"  exclaimed 
Bowie,  his  pale  cheeks  flushed  with  excitement,  "  for 
I  couldn't  retreat  if  I  would,  and  I  wouldn't  if  I 
could ;  while  as  for  surrender,  the  word  is  not 
allowed  in  the  Bowie  family.  So  give  me  your 
hands,  you  two,  and  let  me  swear  the  same  oath  you 
have  taken." 

Thus  those  three  brave  hearts  stood  pledged  to  die 
together,  rather  than  surrender  or  betray  the  trust 
reposed  in  them,  and  each  instinctively  felt  that  the 
spirit  of  Ben  Milam  was  witness  to  their  compact. 

"  But,  Will !  Bowie  !  Colonel  Crockett !  Am  I  to 
be  left  out  ?  "  cried  Rex  Harden,  in  grieved  tones. 
"Do  you  doubt  that  I  too  am  ready  to  die  for 
Texas  ?  " 

"Not  for  an  instant,  my  dear  fellow,"  rejoined 
Travis,  earnestly.  "  You  have  already  faced  death 
for  the  cause  oftener  than  any  one  of  us,  and  so 
proved  your  devotion  beyond  words.  We  know 
that  you  are  with  us  soul  and  body;  but  I  can't 
allow  you  to  take  oath  never  to  leave  this  place  so 
long  as  an  enemy  remains  in  sight,  for  that  is  the 
very  thing  I  am  most  likely  to  want  you  to  do. 
None  but  you  can  ride  Tawny,  no  horse  in  Texas 


232  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

can  cover  ground  as  he  can,  and  consequently  there 
is  no  one  else  prepared  to  render  such  splendid 
service  as  a  courier.  In  that  capacity  I  shall  rely 
upon  you,  and  I  hope  not  only  to  have  you  leave 
San  Antonio,  but  return  to  it  again,  more  than  once, 
before  the  result  of  the  impending  struggle  is  de 
cided.  So,  old  man,  though  we  count  you  as  one  of 
us,  you  must  not  assume  a  pledge  that  might  inter 
fere  with  your  greatest  usefulness." 

The  others  agreeing  that  Travis  was  right,  Rex 
was  forced  to  submit  to  their  decision,  and  so  was 
kept  from  taking  an  oath  that  would  have  ultimately 
cost  him  his  life. 

Bowie  having  been  persuaded  to  remain  quiet  and 
save  his  feeble  strength  until  the  Mexican  army 
should  actually  appear,  and  Rex  having  earned  a 
long  sleep,  Travis  and  Crockett  started  off  to  see 
what  could  be  done  towards  strengthening  the  forti 
fications.  Although,  after  their  inspection,  both 
agreed  that  much  ought  to  be  done  in  the  way  of 
preparation,  and  could  be  done  with  adequate  means, 
Travis  quickly  convinced  his  companion  that  nothing 
would  be  done.  He  did  this  by  calling  a  sergeant 
and  ordering  him  to  turn  out  his  squad  for  work  in 
the  trenches,  telling  him  at  the  same  time  of  the 
Mexican  approach. 

"  Of  course  I'll  order  the  men  out,  colonel,  if 
you  say  so,"  replied  the  sergeant ;  "  but  not  one 
of  my  squad,  nor  yet  of  the  whole  detachment, 


THE   OATH   OF  NO   SURRENDER  233 

will  lift  a  hand  to  work  on  the  fortifications,  or  do 
anything  else  except  fight.  That's  the  only  thing 
they'll  do  without  pay  ;  and  I  don't  believe  they'll 
stay  here  and  starve  much  longer  on  the  chance 
of  that,  if  it  doesn't  come  mighty  quick.  There's 
not  a  night  that  I  don't  expect  to  see  the  whole 
command  desert,  and  I'm  not  sure  but  what  I'll 
go  with  them.  So,  colonel,  if  you  want  to  have 
a  fighting  man  left  in  the  town  to-morrow  morning, 
I  would  advise  you  not  to  insist  upon  that  order." 

"Very  well,  sergeant,"  said  Travis,  smiling 
grimly,  "  I  withdraw  it ;  but  for  the  sake  of  Texas, 
use  your  influence  to  induce  the  men  to  stick  it 
out  a  few  days  longer." 

"  You  see  how  matters  stand,"  he  added  bitterly, 
turning  to  Crockett.  "  I  have  only  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  all  told,  for  the  defence  of  this,  the 
most  important  post  on  our  frontier.  Many  of 
them  are  sick,  and  they  have  not  received  one  cent 
of  pay  since  enlisting.  They  have  not  drawn  a 
single  full  ration  of  anything,  are  poorly  supplied 
with  ammunition,  and  are  actually  suffering  for 
want  of  clothing,  blankets,  and  medicines.  I  know 
they  will  fight  like  devils  when  the  time  comes  for 
fighting  ;  but  I  know  also  that  what  the  sergeant 
has  just  told  us  is  true,  and  that  to  compel  them 
to  work  would  be  to  give  the  signal  for  a  general 
dispersion  to  their  homes." 

"Colonel,"   replied    the    rugged    backwoodsman, 


234  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"I  appreciate  the  situation,  and  sympathize  with 
you.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  comforting  to  remem 
ber  that  desperate  men  make  desperate  fighters. 
Out  of  just  such  hopeless  situations  as  this  have 
come  the  most  glorious  results.  Valley  Forge  was 
one  of  them." 

Four  days  after  this,  Rex  and  his  stanch  friend, 
Colonel  Crockett,  who  had  been  on  a  short  scouting 
expedition  on  the  Leredo  road,  dashed  breathlessly 
into  town  shortly  before  noon,  with  the  thrilling 
announcement  that  they  had  seen  and  been  fired 
at  by  the  advanced  guard  of  the  Mexican  army. 

This  news  was  received  by  the  Americans  in 
grim  silence,  and  by  the  Mexican  population  with 
ill-concealed  exultation.  An  hour  later,  a  group 
of  plumed  and  glittering  horsemen  appeared  on 
the  crest  of  a  low  ridge  a  mile  west  of  the  town. 
There  they  halted  for  a  survey  of  the  scene  before 
them.  Santa  Anna  had  indeed  arrived,  and  the 
struggle  for  Texas  was  to  be  renewed  with  greater 
fury  than  ever. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

AN  EXPRESS  FKOM  THE  ALAMO 

No  reinforcements  had  reached  San  Antonio ; 
and,  as  it  was  evidently  impossible  to  hold  the 
town  against  the  army  gathered  before  it,  Travis 
gave  orders  to  retire  to  the  Alamo,  the  semi- 
ruinous  old  mission  across  the  river.  There  he  had 
succeeded  in  partially  repairing  the  walls,  and  in 
mounting  on  them  fourteen  of  the  Mexican  guns 
left  by  General  Cos. 

Obeying  this  order,  the  little  band  of  Americans 
filed  across  the  only  bridge  spanning  the  San 
Antonio,  up  the  gentle  slope  beyond,  and  disap 
peared  within  the  Alamo  as  the  enemy's  advance 
entered  the  opposite  side  of  the  town.  Some  of 
the  Texan  sick  were  borne  on  litters;  but  James 
Bowie  insisted  on  rising  from  his  bed,  dressing, 
and  riding  on  horseback  at  the  head  of  his  own 
company. 

The  retreating  force  had  so  little  in  the  way  of 
provisions  to  carry  with  them,  that  they  were  forced 
to  raid  every  house  within  reach,  and  take  what 
they  could  find.  In  this  way  they  secured  a  small 
quantity  of  corn  and  a  herd  of  thirty  beef  cattle. 

235 


236  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

This  was  all ;  and  when  it  should  be  exhausted,  the 
end  must  speedily  come. 

In  striking  contrast  to  this  pathetic  outgoing  of 
the  Texans  was  the  gorgeous  incoming  of  Santa 
Anna  and  his  troops.  Most  of  these  were  the 
flower  of  the  Mexican  army ;  and  as  regiment  after 
regiment  of  dashing  lancers,  heavy  dragoons,  and 
sturdy  infantry  swept  into  the  plaza,  while  bat 
teries  of  artillery  rumbled  through  the  narrow 
streets,  the  awe-stricken  spectators  held  up  their 
hands  at  the  audacity  of  the  Texans  in  daring  to 
await  the  onslaught  of  such  a  force. 

"To  defy  El  Presidente  is  to  war  with  Heaven 
itself.  It  is  the  same  thing ! "  they  exclaimed, 
piously  crossing  themselves.  Then  they  turned 
away  to  prepare  for  the  fiestas,  such  as  cock-fights, 
horse-racing,  eating,  drinking,  and  dancing,  that 
would  surely  follow  the  coming  of  the  Mexican 
army. 

Besides  men  and  guns,  the  invaders  brought  with 
them  hundreds  of  mule  loads  of  baggage  and  pro 
visions  ;  while  their  camp  followers,  fully  one-half 
of  whom  were  women,  formed  an  army  by  them 
selves.  Thus  in  one  short  hour  San  Antonio  de 
Bexar  was  transformed  from  a  stagnant  frontier 
town,  garrisoned  by  a  handful  of  ragged,  hungry 
men,  into  a  bustling  metropolis,  thronged  with 
people,  and  full  of  glittering  activity.  No  wonder 
its  Mexican  population  hailed  the  change  with  rapt- 


AN  EXPRESS  FROM  THE  ALAMO  237 

ure,  and  anticipated  with  pleasure  seeing  the  white- 
faced  gringos  driven  away  forever. 

Only  three  of  the  dark-skinned  race  had  accom 
panied  the  Americans  into  the  Alamo,  and  two  of 
these  were  women  in  attendance  upon  the  sick.  The 
third,  a  man,  was  no  other  than  Manuel  Peralta,  the 
zapatero,  now  so  recovered  of  his  lameness  as  to  dis 
pense  altogether  with  crutches.  Believing  that  the 
Texans  who  had  driven  Cos  from  San  Antonio  were 
strong  enough  to  hold  the  place  forever  as  an  Ameri 
can  town,  this  man  had  trimmed  his  sails  according 
to  what  appeared  to  him  the  most  favorable  breeze. 

He  had  loudly  welcomed  the  victors  to  his  pul- 
queria  and  professed  himself  an  ardent  Texan  patriot 
to  whom  no  name  was  so  hateful  as  that  of  Santa 
Anna.  He  scorned  to  associate  with  those  of  his 
own  race  and  treated  them  with  such  contempt  as  to 
win  their  bitter  enmity.  Thus  he  succeeded  in  mak 
ing  his  saloon  a  favorite  resort  for  bibulous  Texans, 
and  in  acquiring  a  very  tidy  sum  of  money. 

Great  was  Manuel  Peralta's  consternation  when 
another  Mexican  army  appeared  before  San  Antonio. 
To  save  himself  from  his  jubilant  neighbors,  who 
threatened  to  have  not  only  his  money  but  his  life, 
he  fled  with  his  American  friends  to  the  Alamo,  leav 
ing  only  the  brave  little  'Rillo,  who  was  so  generally 
liked  that  none  would  harm  him,  in  charge  of  the 
pulqueria.  In  the  Alamo,  Peralta  especially  attached 
himself  to  Rex,  as  representing  the  master  whom  he 


238  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

had  formerly  served ;  and  our  lad,  never  doubting  the 
man's  sincerity,  good-naturedly  tolerated  his  presence. 

Entering  San  Antonio  at  noon  of  February  23d, 
1836,  Santa  Anna  at  once  sent  an  officer  to  demand 
the  unconditional  surrender  of  the  Alamo  ;  but  to 
him  Travis  only  made  answer  with  a  cannon-shot 
of  defiance. 

Furious  with  rage  and  burning  to  avenge  this  in 
sult,  the  Mexican  commander  ordered  a  blood-red 
flag  to  be  displayed  above  the  Cathedral  as  a  sign 
that  in  the  coming  struggle  no  quarter  would  be 
allowed  and  no  mercy  shown  to  rebels.  At  the 
same  time  such  batteries  as  could  be  brought  to 
bear  on  the  Alamo  opened  fire.  As  these  guns  were 
only  light  field-pieces,  they  did  no  particular  damage,, 
and  the  defenders  of  the  old  mission  were  content  to 
reply  to  them  with  occasional  shots  at  favorable 
opportunities. 

That  night  a  small  party  of  Texans,  led  by  Lieu 
tenant  Harden,  sallied  out  and  succeeded  in  setting 
fire  to  a  number  of  straw  and  wooden  huts  that  had 
afforded  concealment  to  the  Mexican  sharp-shooters. 
As  the  blaze  lighted  the  heavens,  the  Mexican  camp 
buzzed  like  a  beehive  and  a  storm  of  bullets  swept 
across  the  illuminated  space.  Battery  after  battery 
joined  in  the  harmless  uproar,  which  was  continued 
until  the  last  flame  of  the  brief  conflagration  had 
expired  and  long  after  the  incendiaries  had  gained 
the  shelter  of  their  walls. 


AN  EXPRESS   FROM   THE   ALAMO  239 

On  the  following  day  the  bombardment  was  kept 
up  from  daylight  to  dark,  but  always  from  such  a  safe 
distance  that  Crockett  was  led  to  declare  he  didn't 
believe  the  greasers  meant  to  fight,  or  dared  to  fight, 
or  had  any  fight  in  'em. 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th,  however,  Santa  Anna 
himself  crossed  the  river  at  the  head  of  a  strong 
battalion,  for  the  purpose  of  planting  a  battery  within 
three  hundred  yards  of  the  main  gateway  of  the 
Alamo.  They  approached  under  cover  of  a  heavy 
fire,  which  Travis  forbade  his  men  to  answer  until 
the  Mexicans  had  advanced  as  far  as  they  would. 
Then  the  guns  of  the  Alamo,  double-shotted  with 
grape,  and  the  long-barrelled  Texas  rifles  rang  out 
together,  with  such  terrible  effect  that  the  battalion 
of  Matamoras,  torn  to  ribbons,  broke,  and  fled  panic- 
stricken  to  the  bridge.  The  battalion  of  Ximines 
was  hurried  to  their  support,  and  a  second  advance 
was  ordered ;  but  again  the  Mexicans  were  swept 
back  by  the  deadly  fire  of  rifles. 

Santa  Anna,  black  with  passion  and  raging  like  a 
madman,  called  out  battalion  after  battalion  of  fresh 
troops,  but  with  no  avail.  The  unerring  precision  of 
the  Texan  fire,  for  which  every  rifle  was  carefully 
aimed,  and  in  which  every  bullet  found  its  mark,  was 
so  demoralizing  that  finally  the  Mexican  troops  could 
no  longer  be  forced  within  its  range.  So  the  attempt 
to  plant  a  battery  on  the  desired  spot  was  abandoned, 
and  one  was  established  at  the  garita  instead.  At 


240  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

the  same  time  Mexican  cavalry  patrols  were  so 
posted,  that  Santa  Anna  believed  he  had  effectually 
cut  off  all  communication  between  the  Alamo  and 
the  outside  world. 

In  spite  of  these  precautions,  the  Texans  made 
successful  forays  night  after  night,  for  fuel  and  for 
age.  In  this  way  they  also  ascertained  that  a  way  of 
retreat  from  their  perilous  position  was  still  open  to 
them,  should  they  care  to  avail  themselves  of  it. 
But  they  did  not,  for  all  were  now  animated  by  the 
spirit  of  their  fiery  young  leader,  and  shared  his 
determination  never  to  retreat.  Besides,  they  could 
not  leave  their  sick  and  wounded  behind.  And  so 
the  question  was  never  even  considered.  Among 
those  whose  helplessness  called  forth  this  noble  self- 
sacrifice  was  Bowie,  whose  recent  exertions  had 
brought  on  a  relapse  of  his  fever. 

The  defenders  of  the  Alamo  were  sustained  in 
their  devotion  to  duty  by  an  ever-present  hope  of 
relief.  Surely  their  countrymen  would  rush  to  their 
aid  by  thousands,  the  moment  their  situation  became 
known,  and  Travis  had  taken  measures  to  have  it 
known,  by  sending  out  two  messengers  on  the  second 
night  of  the  siege.  One  of  them,  a  fearless  rider 
named  Bonham,  had  gone  with  an  urgent  letter  to 
Fannin  at  Goliad.  The  other  was  Rex  Harden,  who 
was  despatched  to  the  eastward,  with  orders  to  lay 
the  situation  before  the  delegates  at  Washington. 
Under  cover  of  darkness  he  had  slipped  out  from 


AN  EXPRESS  FROM  THE  ALAMO  241 

the  Alamo  mounted  on  Tawny,  and,  after  several 
narrow  escapes  from  the  Mexican  patrols,  had  finally 
found  himself  pushing,  at  a  swinging  gallop,  along 
the  familiar  Gonzales  road. 

At  the  Rancho  Herrera  he  only  halted  to  make 
sure  of  the  safety  of  its  dear  inmates,  and  tell  them 
of  his  errand.  Daylight  found  him  relating  his 
thrilling  story  at  Gonzales,  and  two  days  later  he 
reached  Washington  on  the  Brazos.  To  his  intense 
disappointment,  his  father  was  not  there,  being 
absent  on  a  strenuous  effort  to  rouse  the  country  to 
immediate  action.  So  Rex  reported  to  General 
Houston. 

"  God  knows,  boy,  that  I  would  set  forth  with  you 
this  very  minute !  "  exclaimed  that  whole-souled 
patriot,  in  a  voice  broken  with  emotion,  "  did  I 
not  believe  I  could  do  more  good  by  remaining  here 
two  days  longer.  Now  I  am  but  a  private  citizen, 
possessed  of  but  little  influence.  In  two  days  the 
convention  will  meet,  and  I  may  be  in  command  of 
an  army.  So  ride  back,  and  tell  that  band  of  heroes 
to  hold  out  for  a  few  days  more.  Then  I  will  either 
come  alone  to  die  with  them,  or  will  bring  the  relief 
for  which  they  pray." 

Everywhere  Rex  received  the  same  answer  to  his 
pleadings  and  demands.  "  You  must  wait  until  the 
convention  meets.  Until  then  we  are  powerless  to 
help  you."  Finally,  discouraged  and  heart-sick,  he 
turned  his  face  westward,  and  began  to  retrace  the 


242  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

weary  way  he  had  come.  At  Gonzales  he  found  a 
ray  of  hope  in  shape  of  thirty-two  resolute  men, 
ready  to  march  to  San  Antonio  under  his  guidance. 

Again  was  Rex  granted  only  a  few  hurried  min 
utes  at  his  home.  He  found  its  inmates  terrified  by 
the  constant  and  unmistakable  rumblings  that  came 
to  them  from  the  direction  of  San  Antonio,  but 
otherwise  they  had  gained  no  direct  intelligence 
since  he  passed.  Every  Mexican  on  the  ranch,  sav 
ing  only  Sebastian  Tejada  and  his  wife,  had  disap 
peared.  What  was  taking  place  ?  What  should 
they  do?  Why  could  Rex  not  stay  with  them? 
Surely  one  more  or  less  could  not  make  any  differ 
ence  in  the  ultimate  result,  at  San  Antonio. 

So  they  wrenched  his  heart  with  their  appeals,  but 
could  not  turn  him  from  his  clearly  defined  duty. 

"  I  must  go,  mother,  for  I  have  promised.  Besides, 
I  am  carrying  help  and  hope  to  the  very  bravest 
fellows  in  all  the  world.  I  should  be  worse  than  a 
traitor  if  I  disappointed  them,  or  caused  them  to 
lose  heart  for  a  single  minute.  So  you  must  let  me 
go,  and  I  will  come  again  if  danger  threatens  you. 
No  horse  ever  ridden  by  a  Mexican  could  catch 
Tawny,  you  know,  and  I  shall  keep  him  always 
ready.  Listen  for  the  sound  of  cannon.  So  long  as 
you  hear  it,  the  Alamo  is  holding  out,  and  you  are 
safe.  If  at  any  time  it  ceases  for  more  than  half  a 
day,  then  fly  to  Gonzales.  There  at  least  you  will 
find  stout  protectors." 


AN  EXPRESS   FROM   THE   ALAMO  243 

"  But  Rex  dear  —  " 

"  But  mother  dear,  I  must  not  stop  another 
moment.  By  daylight  I  must  be  with  the  brave 
fellows  who  are  waiting  for  me  in  the  Alamo.  So 
good-by,  dear,  dear  mother." 

"  Good-by,  my  darling  boy,  and  may  God  hold 
you  in  His  omnipotent  keeping.  Good-by." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A  HANDFUL  WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS 

ON  through  the  night  rode  the  brave  men  of  Gon- 
zales,  exchanging  few  words  as  they  went,  but  with 
every  sense  keenly  alert.  At  sunset  they  had  heard 
the  far-away  roar  of  artillery  and  knew  that  their 
beleaguered  countrymen  still  held  out. 

It  was  decided  that,  after  riding  as  near  to  San 
Antonio  as  they  dared,  they  should  dismount  and 
make  their  way  into  the  Alamo  on  foot.  Their 
horses  would  be  sent  back  in  charge  of  two  men  who 
had  come  for  that  purpose.  So,  as  they  came  within 
sight  of  the  Mexican  camp-fires,  a  halt  was  called, 
and  the  horses  were  turned  over  to  the  herders,  who 
were  ordered  to  remain  where  they  were  until  day 
light,  and  then  make  their  way  with  all  speed  back 
to  Gonzales. 

Only  one  horse  was  retained,  and  that  was  Tawny. 
Believing  that  he  might  still  be  wanted  for  urgent 
service,  Rex  had  determined  once  again  to  conceal 
him  in  Manuel  Peralta's  stable,  where  he  could  be 
cared  for  by  'Rillo. 

As  the  dismounted  volunteers  began  their  cautious 
244 


A  HANDFUL  WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS    245 

advance,  with  Rex,  leading  Tawny,  at  their  head,  our 
lad  was  perplexed  at  the  number  of  lights,  denoting 
either  camps  or  batteries,  that  twinkled  on  all  sides. 
Certainly  they  had  not  been  nearly  so  numerous  five 
days  before.  Could  the  Mexican  lines  have  been 
extended  entirely  around  the  Alamo? 

The  dark  mass  of  the  garita  was  close  at  hand, 
and  Rex  was  whispering  to  Captain  Smith,  leader 
of  the  Gonzales  troop,  that  as  it  was  unoccupied,  it 
might  be  passed  with  safety,  when  suddenly  a  tiny 
flame  flared  from  it  and  disappeared.  A  Mexican 
artilleryman  had  struck  one  of  the  recently  invented 
lucifer  matches  then  just  coming  into  general  use,  to 
light  his  cigarette. 

The  warning  was  sufficient,  and  a  wide  berth  was 
given  the  danger  thus  carelessly  disclosed.  The 
edge  of  the  timber  was  reached  in  safety,  and  there 
Rex  begged  the  others  to  remain  for  a  few  minutes 
while  he  led  Tawny  to  Manuel  Peralta's  stable. 

He  succeeded  in  arousing  little  'Rillo  and  getting 
him  out  of  the  house  without  disturbing  any  of  the 
neighbors.  The  child  was  overjoyed  to  see  his  dear 
friend  Rex  once  more,  and  readily  consented  to  take 
charge  of  Tawny,  who,  he  said,  could  now  have  the 
whole  stable  since  the  donkey  had  disappeared. 

"  I  think  the  wicked  soldiers  stole  him,"  he  com 
plained,  "  as  they  did  El  Bravo,  my  beautiful  chicken, 
which  the  senor  must  remember.  Oh!  but  he  was 


246  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

"  Yes,  I  remember  him  well,"  interrupted  Rex, 
"but  why  have  the  soldiers  stolen  him?" 

"  Because  of  their  hatred  of  my  father,  who  is 
even  now  in  the  Alamo.  Many  times  did  they 
come  here  to  kill  him,  and  when  they  found  him 
not,  they  carried  away  whatever  they  liked.  Now 
that  there  is  nothing  left,  they  come  no  more,  so 
will  El  Diablo  be  very  safe  in  the  stable  of  the 
donkey." 

By  plying  the  wise  little  chap  with  further  ques 
tions,  Rex  learned  that  many  fresh  soldiers  had 
reached  the  Mexican  camp  since  he  left  the  Alamo, 
and  that  every  day  they  had  brought  new  cannon. 
"  So,"  concluded  'Rillo,  "  it  is  time  for  my  father  to 
leave  that  place  also  if  he  does  not  wish  to  be  killed, 
for  it  is  said  by  the  soldiers  that  after  two  days  no 
man  in  it  will  live." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  so,  little  'Rillo,  and  I  will  tell  your 
father  what  you  say.  At  the  same  time,  as  you 
value  his  life,  do  not  so  much  as  whisper  to  any  one 
in  the  whole  world  that  Tawny  is  hidden  in  the 
stable  of  the  donkey." 

No,  'Rillo  would  never  let  the  great  secret  be  even 
suspected.  So  the  young  lieutenant  returned  on 
foot  to  his  waiting  comrades,  and  led  them  by  de 
vious  ways  to  where,  in  the  gathering  daylight,  they 
could  plainly  see  the  gray  walls  that  still  sheltered 
Travis  and  his  men. 

At  that  moment  a  sentinel  challenged,  his  musket 


A  HANDFUL  WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS    247 

blazed  in  their  faces,  and  a  score  of  dark  forms,  hith 
erto  unseen,  rose  up  directly  in  front  of  them. 

"  Charge  them,  men  !  And  run  for  it  I  "  shouted 
Captain  Smith.  "  It  is  our  only  chance  !  " 

With  an  answering  yell  and  a  volley,  the  men 
from  Gonzales  charged  the  Mexican  picket  and  swept 
it  from  their  path.  Then  they  ran  for  the  shelter 
of  the  friendly  walls.  Behind  them  thundered  a 
strong  cavalry  patrol,  that  in  passing  had  been  sum 
moned  by  the  shot  of  the  outpost  sentry. 

In  a  moment  they  would  overtake  the  flying  foot 
men,  and  already  the  cruel  sabres  were  uplifted  for 
the  slaughter.  But  all  at  once  the  despairing  cries 
of  the  Texans  were  answered  by  a  ringing  cheer 
close  at  hand.  A  line  of  men,  who  had  been  lying 
prone  on  the  ground,  beside  a  tiny  canal  of  clear 
water,  sprang  to  their  feet  as  the  fugitives  reached 
it.  Ere  the  startled  horsemen  could  draw  rein  they 
were  met  by  a  sheet  of  flame  so  deadly  that  they 
fled  in  dismay,  taking  with  them  half  a  dozen  empty 
saddles. 

The  opportune  presence  of  this  force  from  the 
Alamo  at  that  place  was  readily  explained.  Only 
the  day  before  the  enemy  had  diverted  from  its 
course  the  direct  stream  of  water  by  which  the  old 
mission  was  supplied.  So  the  defenders  had  been 
compelled  to  sally  forth  under  cover  of  darkness  to 
the  nearest  available  ditch,  and  carry  what  they  could 
of  the  precious  fluid  to  receptacles  prepared  for  it 


248  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

within  the  walls.  The  last  party  to  be  thus  engaged 
were  filling  their  canteens  just  at  dawn  when  startled 
by  the  rush,  in  desperate  flight,  of  the  men  from 
Gonzales. 

Now  the  united  bands  poured  joyfully  into  the 
Alamo,  heedless  of  the  roaring  batteries  that  had 
been  awakened  on  every  side.  Cheer  after  cheer 
greeted  the  new-comers  as  they  passed  within  the 
barricaded  gateway.  Travis  and  Crockett  shook 
hands  with  each  one  of  them,  and  blessed  them  for 
their  coming.  Bowie,  from  his  pallet,  called  that 
they  should  gladden  his  eyes  with  the  sight  of 
Texans  who  had  risked  their  own  lives  to  save  those 
of  their  fellows  who  were  in  peril. 

Nor  was  Rex  Harden  forgotten.  Indeed,  he  was 
the  hero  of  the  hour ;  for  without  his  guidance  this 
timely  aid  could  never  have  reached  the  besieged 
fortress.  Moreover,  he  had  talked  with  Houston, 
and  brought  from  him  a  promise  of  speedy  relief. 

The  day  was  the  first  of  March.  At  that  very 
hour  the  convention  that  was  to  decide  the  destinies 
of  Texas  was  assembled.  Perhaps  Houston  was 
already  reinstalled  as  commander-in-chief,  and  armed 
with  the  authority  for  which  they  prayed.  If  they 
could  hold  out  for  a  few  days  longer,  he  would  be 
with  them,  and  all  would  be  well.  Of  course  they 
would  hold  out.  Hunger,  thirst,  weariness,  and  suf 
fering  all  were  forgotten,  and  with  stout  hearts  these 
heroes  of  the  Alamo  sprang  to  their  defences,  where, 


WITH    STOUT   HEARTS   THESE    HEROES   OF    THE    ALAMO    SPRANG 


TTJITID 


A  HANDFUL   WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS          249 

with  rifle  and  cannon,  they  hurled  back  the  challenge 
of  Santa  Anna's  guns. 

Late  in  the  day  a  fierce  norther  smote  the  city 
with  chill  breath,  and,  as  though  borne  on  its  mighty 
wings,  the  men  of  the  Alamo  rushed  forth  with  im 
petuous  fury,  swept  every  Mexican  from  the  nearest 
battery,  seized  its  ammunition,  and  spiked  its  still 
smoking  guns. 

That  night  as  they  shivered  over  their  feeble  fires, 
drawing  their  tattered  garments  closer  and  more 
closely  about  them,  they  discussed  hopefully  the 
prospects  of  speedy  relief,  and  imagined  that  they 
heard  in  the  wild  blasts  of  the  norther  the  exulting 
shouts  of  armed  hosts  hurrying  to  succor  them. 

About  midnight  the  leader  of  the  Gonzales  men 
left  them,  once  more  to  seek  perilous  passage  through 
the  Mexican  lines,  and  make  his  way  to  the  Guadalupe, 
whence  he  promised  speedily  to  come  again  with 
other  volunteers.  He  also  promised  Rex  Harden 
that  if  the  inmates  of  the  Rancho  Herrera  had  not 
already  left  when  he  reached  there,  he  would  persuade 
them  to  go  with  him  to  Gonzales. 

Rex  had  sought  Manuel  Peralta  soon  after  his 
return  to  the  Alamo  to  tell  him  of  his  recent  inter 
view  with  'Rillo.  He  also  told  of  Tawny  hidden, 
ready  for  instant  service,  in  the  little  stable  behind 
the  pulqueria. 

Peralta  had  for  some  time  been  convinced  that  the 
Alamo  must  eventually  fall  into  the  hands  of  his 


250  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

countrymen,  and  he  trembled  to  think  of  his  own 
fate  when  that  should  happen.  If  he  had  only  been 
wise  enough  to  cast  his  fortunes  on  the  stronger, 
instead  of  what  had  turned  out  to  be  the  weaker 
side !  If  he  could  only  devise  some  scheme,  even 
now,  by  which  to  gain  favor  with  Santa  Anna  I  As 
he  listened  to  Rex,  a  plan  flashed  into  his  mind,  — 
a  cruelly  treacherous  plan,  to  be  sure,  but  what  did 
that  matter  ?  To  further  it,  he  asked  shrewdly  : 

"  But  does  the  senor  expect  again  to  use  the  horse 
thus  concealed  ?  " 

"  It  is  more  than  likely  that  I  shall,"  replied  the 
unsuspecting  lad.  "  If  an  express  is  wanted  to  ride 
in  any  direction,  I  shall  not  hesitate  to  offer  my 


services." 


"  And  if  it  so  happens  that  the  sefior  should  leave 
this  place  of  terrors,  will  he  notify  his  servant,  that  I 
may  prepare  a  message  for  my  child?"  whined  the 
zapatero. 

"  Certainly  I  will,  my  good  Manuel,  and  moreover, 
when  we  have  driven  these  troublesome  countrymen 
of  yours  out  of  Texas,  I  will  undertake  to  see  that 
you  have  a  comfortable  berth  at  the  ranch.  You 
will  find  that  we  Texans  are  not  ungrateful  to  those 
who  like  yourself  have  lent  us  aid  in  time  of  need." 

Here  Rex  was  called  away,  and  as  he  departed  the 
Mexican  looked  after  him  with  an  expression  of 
crafty  triumph. 

Another   day  of  incessant  cannonading   and  un- 


A  HANDFUL  WITHSTANDS  THOUSANDS    261 

relieved  anxiety  dragged  wearily  by.  The  feeble 
garrison. was  very  hungry  and  very  cold,  but  still 
presented  a  dauntless  front  to  the  enemy.  On  the 
third  of  March  came  two  events  of  disheartening 
nature.  One  was  the  successful  planting  of  a  new 
battery  within  musket  shot  of  the  Alamo  on  the  north, 
and  the  other  was  the  return  of  Bonham  from 
Goliad  with  the  bitter  news  that  Fannin  had  indeed 
started  to  their  relief  with  three  hundred  men  and 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  but  had  been  compelled  by  a 
lack  of  teams  and  provisions  to  turn  back. 

On  Friday,  the  3d,  the  Mexican  lines  were  drawn 
a  little  closer  in  spite  of  desperate  sallies  by  the 
garrison  to  beat  them  back,  and  a  feeling  of  despair 
began  to  settle  darkly  over  the  brave  band  who  were 
holding  an  army  in  check. 

The  5th,  which  was  the  tenth  day  of  their  heroic 
defence,  brought  neither  relief  nor  tidings  from  the 
outer  world ;  and  when  in  the  afternoon  the  enemy 
abruptly  ceased  their  cannonading,  Colonel  Travis 
took  advantage  of  the  respite  to  summon  his  entire 
garrison  to  a  council  of  war. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

WHO   WILL   CROSS    THIS   LINE  ? 

THE  council  of  war  was  ordered  to  assemble  in 
the  church  of  the  Alamo,  —  where  the  sick  and 
wounded  were  quartered,  —  that  they,  too,  might 
participate  in  it.  Here,  then,  gathered  the  battle- 
worn  defenders,  to  hear  what  their  chief  might  say. 
Some  of  them  were  veterans  with  grizzled  locks, 
others  were  boys ;  but  the  majority  were  sober  men 
in  the  prime  of  life,  who  fully  realized  the  gravity 
of  their  position,  and  their  slight  chance  of  suc 
cess  in  the  terrible  task  they  had  undertaken. 

When  the  little  company  was  drawn  up  in  single 
file,  Colonel  Travis,  young,  handsome,  and  strong, 
but  pale  and  worn  with  weariness  and  anxious  re 
sponsibility,  took  position  opposite  the  centre,  and 
addressed  them  as  follows: 

"My  dear  comrades,  I  have  taken  advantage  of 
the  temporary  lull  in  conflict  to  gather  you  for  what 
may  be  our  last  meeting  on  earth.  I  want  not  only 
to  thank  you  for  your  noble  support  in  our  struggle 
with  overwhelming  numbers,  but  to  advise  you  of 
my  conviction  that  the  end  is  close  at  hand.  Both 

252 


WHO   WILL  CROSS  THIS  LINE?  253 

our  ammunition  and  provisions  are  nearly  exhausted. 
Even  should  no  assault  be  made  upon  our  position, 
we  could  hold  it  but  a  few  days  longer,  while  our 
feebleness  could  not  repel  a  general  attack  more 
than  a  few  minutes. 

"  Except  for  the  noble  band  from  Gonzales,  who 
are  now  with  us,  the  relief  promised  by  our  friends 
has  not  arrived.  Five  days  ago  the  convention  met, 
and  if  they  had  realized  our  extremity,  we  should 
have  heard  from  them  ere  this.  Fannin  may  be  on 
his  way  to  us,  or  he  may  not.  I  shall  send  out 
another  courier  this  very  night  to  meet  him  if  he  is 
on  the  road,  and  hasten  his  movements. 

"  But  to  come  to  my  main  object  in  calling  you 
together.  It  is  to  tell  you  that,  while  we  have 
every  reason  to  regard  our  position  as  desperate, 
there  yet  remains  a  chance  of  escape  for  those 
strong  enough  and  brave  enough  to  attempt  it. 
Harden  and  Bonham  have  successfully  passed  the 
Mexican  lines,  and  will  probably  do  so  again.  What 
they  have  done  others  may  do.  Only  the  sick  and 
wounded  must  remain;  and  I,  for  one,  shall  remain 
with  them  to  the  bitter  end.  Now  I  want  each  of 
you  to  choose  freely  which  course  he  will  take. 
Will  you  stay,  or  will  you  make  the  attempt  to 
escape  ?  My  own  choice  is  to  stay,  and  die  for  my 
country,  fighting  so  long  as  breath  shall  remain 
in  my  body.  This  will  I  do,  even  if  you  leave  me 
alone.  Do,  then,  as  you  think  best,  but  remember 


264  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

that  no  man  can  die  with  me  without  affording  me 
comfort  in  the  hour  of  death." 

Here  Colonel  Travis  drew  a  line  with  the  point  of 
his  sword  on  the  earthen  floor  of  the  old  church  in 
front  of  his  men,  and  stepping  back,  said: 

"  Now  must  you  make  your  decision.  Let  every 
man  who  is  in  favor  of  retreat  or  surrender  keep  his 
place ;  but  let  every  one  who  is  willing  to  remain, 
and  face  an  almost  certain  death  with  me,  cross  to 
this  side  of  that  line.  Who  will  be  the  first  ?  For 
ward  !  March!" 

The  last  word  had  not  left  the  young  commander's 
lips  before  Rex  Harden  leaped  across  the  line  and 
stood  by  his  side.  David  Crockett  was  almost  as 
quick  to  do  so  ;  and  then,  with  a  ringing  cheer, 
that  bade  defiance  to  death,  every  man,  save  one, 
in  that  extended  file,  sprang  over  the  fatal  line. 
Every  one  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  able  to  walk, 
rose  from  his  pallet  and  tottered  to  the  side  of  his 
comrades. 

James  Bowie,  too  feeble  to  move,  but  loyal  to  the 
traditions  of  his  race,  even  in  the  face  of  death,  said: 
"  Boys,  I  am  not  able  to  come  to  you  ;  but  I  should 
be  very  grateful  if  some  of  you  would  help  me  over 
that  glorious  line." 

Instantly  four  men  ran  to  him,  and  lifting  his  bed 
in  triumph,  bore  it  to  the  desired  spot. 

The  young  wife  of  Lieutenant  Dickinson,  who  was 
the  only  white  woman  in  the  Alamo,  stepped  proudly 


WHO   WILL  CROSS  THIS  LINE?  255 

over  the  symbolic  line  with  her  babe  in  her  arms, 
and  the  men  cheered  her  to  the  echo. 

As  the  young  commander  witnessed  these  proofs 
of  devotion  to  the  cause  of  Texas  and  to  himself,  his 
eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  for  some  moments  he  could 
not  find  voice  to  express  his  feelings.  When  the 
words  came,  and  he  had  thanked  them  in  faltering 
tones,  he  turned  to  the  one  man  who  still  remained 
with  downcast  eyes,  on  the  further  side  of  the  line, 
and  said  kindly: 

"Peralta,  as  a  Mexican,  you  could  hardly  be 
expected  to  feel  with  the  rest  of  us  on  this  question, 
and  I  cannot  blame  your  choice.  You  are  free  to 
leave  when  and  how  you  will.  I  am  going  to  send 
Lieutenant  Harden  out  to-night  with  another  appeal 
for  help,  and  perhaps  you  two  can  aid  each  other  in 
passing  the  enemy's  pickets. 

"  Me,  colonel !  Are  you  going  to  send  me  out  ?  " 
cried  Rex,  in  genuine  distress.  "Am  I  not  to  be 
allowed  to  remain  here  and  share  your  glorious  fate, 
whether  it  be  victory  or  death  ?  " 

"My  dear  fellow,"  replied  Travis,  with  a  smile, 
"  while  we  are  inexpressibly  grateful  to  those  who 
are  willing  to  die  with  us,  we  shall  be  infinitely 
more  so  to  him  who  is  willing  to  risk  his  life  on  the 
chance  of  saving  ours.  My  chief,  in  fact  my  only, 
hope  lies  now  with  Fannin,  whom  I  cannot  believe 
has  willingly  deserted  us.  He  is  probably  trying  to 
drag  his  cannon  through  the  infernal  mud  of  prairies 


256  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

and  river  bottoms.  He  may  even  be  near  at  hand. 
At  any  rate,  I  want  you  to  find  him  wherever  he  is. 
Beg  him  to  abandon  guns,  baggage,  everything  that 
can  cause  delay,  and  push  on  with  all  speed.  With 
his  force  added  to  our  own  I  will  undertake  to  drive 
Santa  Anna  and  his  thousands  beyond  the  Rio 
Grande.  Without  Fannin's  aid  we  are  lost.  Will 
you  then  go  on  this  most  important  mission,  or  shall 
I  send  some  one  else  who  will  be  much  less  likely  to 
succeed  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  will  go,  since  you  put  it  in  that 
way,"  answered  Rex.  "  But  oh,  Will !  promise  to 
hold  out  until  I  get  back." 

"  I  will  promise  to  do  all  that  mortal  man  can  do, 
my  dear  boy  ;  and  if  you  do  not  find  us  here  on  your 
return,  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  discovering  the 
reason  of  our  absence.  Now  try  and  get  a  nap,  for 
I  want  you  to  start  about  midnight." 

Rex  did  as  requested,  and  at  the  hour  named  was 
ready  for  departure.  In  vain  did  he  search  for 
Peralta,  who  was  to  accompany  him  through  the 
enemy's  lines,  for  the  Mexican  was  nowhere  to  be 
found.  So  after  an  affectionate  parting  from  Travis, 
Bowie,  Crockett,  and  every  other  man  of  the  defend 
ers  who  was  awake,  he  slipped  softly  out  of  the  bar 
ricaded  gateway,  and  was  instantly  lost  to  view  in 
the  blackness  of  that  black  night. 

Before  he  had  gone  one  hundred  yards,  he  nar 
rowly  escaped  running  into  a  group  of  shadowy 


WHO  WILL   CROSS  THIS  LINE?  257 

forms  moving  in  profound  silence  directly  across 
his  path.  A  little  further  on,  he  heard  the  muffled 
tread  of  another  party  moving  in  the  same  direction. 
These  companies  were  evidently  much  stronger  than 
mere  patrols,  and  he  began  to  suspect  that  some 
aggressive  movement  was  on  foot.  He  soon  found 
that  still  other  bodies  of  men  were  marching  in  such 
directions  as  to  entirely  surround  the  Alamo ;  while 
the  tramp  of  horses'  hoofs  showed  cavalry  to  be  also 
on  the  move. 

The  young  lieutenant  decided  to  return  and  advise 
his  friends  of  this  movement,  but  on  attempting  to 
do  so,  found  to  his  dismay  that  an  impenetrable  line 
of  troops  had  been  formed  behind  him.  So  there 
was  nothing  to  do  but  adhere  to  his  original  pur 
pose,  and  gain  the  place  where  Tawny  awaited  him 
as  quickly  as  possible. 

After  many  delays  and  several  hairbreadth  escapes 
from  discovery,  he  finally  stood  at  the  door  of  the 
humble  stable  in  which  he  had  left  his  beloved  horse. 
The  worst  of  his  dangers  were  over,  and  once  mounted 
on  Tawny's  back,  he  could  defy  the  hottest  of  pur 
suits.  Everything  was  so  quiet  about  him,  and  he 
was  so  impatient  to  know  if  Tawny  were  still  in  the 
stable,  that  as  he  reached  it  he  sounded  softly  the 
well-known  signal  whistle,  which  was  instantly  an 
swered  by  a  joyful  whinny  from  within. 

Relieved  from  a  load  of  anxiety,  our  lad  laid  hand 
on  the  door  to  open  it,  and  at  the  same  instant  was 


258  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

seized  in  a  powerful  grasp  from  both  sides  at  once. 
A  moment  later  a  rope  had  been  so  tightly  wound 
about  his  body  that  he  was  as  helpless  as  a  trussed 
fowl. 

The  onset  was  so  sudden  and  unexpected  that  Rex 
had  no  chance  to  resist  it,  nor  did  he  make  an  outcry. 
He  was  dumb  and  passive  in  the  hands  of  his  assail 
ants,  and  only  wondered  vaguely  whether  he  was  to 
be  killed  then  and  there,  or  whether  his  execution 
would  be  postponed  until  daylight.  He  was  confi 
dent  that  his  doom  was  sealed  in  either  case,  for  he 
knew  that  Santa  Anna's  order  was  to  shoot  all  capt 
ured  rebels  and  hold  no  prisoners.  His  curiosity 
concerning  his  fate  was  somewhat  satisfied,  and  he 
was  at  the  same  time  notified  of  the  identity  of  two 
of  his  captors,  by  a  few  words  exchanged  by  them 
within  his  hearing. 

"  Have  you  got  him  safe  ? "  was  asked  from  the 
darkness,  in  a  voice  which,  despite  its  trembling, 
Rex  recognized  with  a  shock  to  be  that  of  Manuel 
Peralta. 

"  Yes,  we've  got  him  safe  enough  this  time,"  replied 
one  of  the  men  who  held  him,  and  whom  he  now 
knew  to  be  his  bitter  enemy,  Domingo,  ex-herder  of 
the  Rancho  Herrera. 

"  Then  you  now  know  and  can  bear  witness  that 
all  I  have  done  has  been  for  the  good  of  Mexico, 
and  the  glory  of  our  noble  President,"  whined 
Peralta. 


WHO  WILL  CROSS  THIS  LINE?  269 

"  Humph  !  "  sneered  Domingo.  "  We  will  see 
what  reward  El  Presidente  will  pay  for  this  prisoner 
before  making  any  promises." 

"  But  you  would  never  have  taken  him  had  I  not 
told  you  of  his  coming  ;  and  as  a  messenger  from  the 
gringos  in  the  Alamo,  he  is  a  captive  of  the  great 
est  importance." 

"Come,  we  will  present  him  to  Santa  Anna  at 
once,"  replied  Domingo,  gruffly ;  and  without  vouch 
safing  any  further  answer  to  the  cowardly  Peralta, 
who  reluctantly  followed  them,  the  men  led  their 
helpless  prisoner  away. 

After  they  were  gone,  a  childish  figure  that  had 
crouched  in  a  dark  shadow  of  the  little  stable  rose, 
and,  with  a  choking  sob,  stole  unnoticed  in  the  same 
direction. 

The  morning  star  was  shining  brightly,  and 
already  a  faint  glimmer  of  dawn  was  stealing  over 
the  eastern  landscape,  as  this  strangely  assorted 
group  hurried  up  the  river  towards  the  Alamo,  in 
order  to  gain  the  only  bridge  leading  into  the  city. 
Ere  they  reached  it  a  sudden  blare  of  trumpets  rang 
out  with  a  note  of  startling  menace. 

At  this  signal  the  air  was  rent  by  the  roar  of  half 
a  dozen  batteries,  and  the  rattling  crash  of  a  thou 
sand  muskets.  Then,  with  a  mighty  shouting,  thou 
sands  of  armed  men  clad  in  the  uniform  of  Mexico, 
rushed  furiously  at  the  grim  Alamo  from  every  side. 
The  long-expected  and  fearfully  anticipated  assault 


260  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

was  made  at  last.  The  death  struggle  between  four 
thousand  well-fed  Mexican  troops,  and  less  than  two 
hundred  half-starved  Americans  had  begun,  and  the 
dawning  of  that  memorable  Sabbath  day  was  red 
dened  with  its  horrors. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  LAST  SHOT  FROM  THE  ALAMO 

"  CARRAMBA  !  "  muttered  Domingo,  as  his  little 
party  was  brought  to  a  stand  by  these  sounds.  "  For 
a  while  we  may  not  approach  El  Presidente.  He  is 
now  busy  with  other  matters,  and  until  this  affair 
is  settled  we  must  wait.  Let  us  then  seek  a  place 
where  we  three,  together  with  this  young  gringo, 
may  enjoy  the  spectacle.  Come,  Peralta,  I  know  it 
will  be  painful  for  thee  to  see  the  heretics  assigned 
to  everlasting  flames,  but  it  will  be  a  lesson  for  thy 
future  guidance." 

Domingo  and  his  fellow  cut-throats  were  too  cow 
ardly  to  fight,  but  from  a  place  of  safety  could 
regard  with  savage  glee  a  scene  of  slaughter.  So 
they  made  their  way  to  a  deserted  house,  and  drag 
ging  their  prisoner  with  them,  clambered  to  its  flat 
roof,  whence  they  commanded  an  unobstructed  view 
of  the  Alamo. 

From  here  in  the  reddening  light  Rex,  forgetful 
of  his  own  peril,  gazed  with  a  fearful  interest  upon 
the  spectacle  before  him.  Through  the  sullen  smoke 
clouds  he  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  dark  masses  of 
troops  advancing  swiftly  to  the  very  walls  that  had 

261 


262  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

so  recently  sheltered  him.  Behind  them  stretched 
a  gleaming  cordon  of  cavalry,  ready,  with  drawn 
sabres,  to  drive  the  infantry  back  to  their  horrid 
work,  should  they  show  signs  of  faltering.  Beyond 
these  the  Mexican  commander,  surrounded  by  a  glit 
tering  staff,  and  mounted  on  a  coal-black  stallion, 
issued  his  orders  and  personally  directed  the  as 
sault.  Near  the  bridge  the  combined  regimental 
bands  poured  forth  in  mighty  volume  inspiring 
strains  of  martial  music,  and  on  all  sides,  well  be 
yond  reach  of  bullet  or  ball,  the  citizens  of  San 
Antonio  were  massed  at  every  point  of  vantage. 

In  the  grim  Alamo  reigned  a  silence  as  of  death, 
until  the  foremost  rank  of  assailants,  bearing  stout 
ladders,  were  within  twenty  paces  of  the  walls. 
Then  the  Texan  fire  leaped  forth  ;  a  crashing,  wither 
ing  discharge  of  grape  and  canister,  musket  ball  and 
rifle  bullet,  that  cut  down  the  leading  Mexican  ranks, 
as  tall  grasses  are  laid  low  by  a  sweep  of  the  mower's 
scythe.  Stunned  and  demoralized,  the  rear  ranks, 
goaded  on  by  the  cavalry  behind  them,  still  essayed 
to  advance;  but  a  second  volley  from  the  Alamo, 
equally  deadly  with  the  first,  put  them  to  headlong 
flight,  that  even  the  encircling  cavalry  could  not 
restrain. 

Dashing  among  the  disorganized  masses  with  shrill 
curses  and  flashing  swords,  that  they  used  to  beat 
the  soldiers  into  place,  the  Mexican  officers  finally 
reformed  their  lines  and  sent  them  again  at  the 


THE  LAST  SHOT  FROM  THE  ALAMO     263 

deadly  walls ;  but  again  they  were  hurled  back  by 
that  terrible  fire,  shattered  and  panic-stricken. 

At  this  sight  Domingo  stamped  with  rage.  The 
coward  Peralta  trembled  at  the  thought  that  the  ter 
rible  gringos  might  after  all  win  the  day,  and  so  be 
come  masters  of  his  fate  ;  while  Rex,  pale  and  almost 
breathless  with  alternate  hopes  and  fears,  so  far  for 
got  his  position  as  to  give  a  great  shout  of  exulting 
joy.  For  this  Domingo  sprang  at  him,  knocked  him 
down  with  a  savage  blow,  and  threatened  to  tear  out 
his  tongue  if  he  uttered  another  word. 

The  lad  made  no  reply,  but  the  moment  Domingo 
turned  from  him  he  struggled  to  his  feet,  and  again 
fixed  his  gaze  on  the  scene  of  battle. 

After  their  second  repulse,  the  Mexicans  reformed 
slowly.  Santa  Anna,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  and  raving 
with  incoherent  rage,  dashed  among  them  and  swore 
to  turn  their  own  batteries  against  them  in  case  they 
should  dare  give  way  again.  Then  he  ordered  up 
his  reserve  of  picked  troops,  and  having  thus  con 
centrated  his  entire  force,  again  gave  the  word  to 
advance.  Shrill  bugles  and  braying  trumpets  sounded 
the  charge,  the  band  played  a  furious  quick-step,  and 
again  the  dark  columns  hurled  themselves  against 
the  low  walls  from  which  a  few  score  of  desperate 
men  had  twice  repulsed  them. 

This  time  the  Texan  fire  was  feeble,  their  supply 
of  powder  had  given  out,  and  the  ladders  were 
placed.  Many  of  them  were  overthrown,  and  their 


264  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

swarming  occupants  were  killed  by  the  score  ;  but 
the  defenders  were  too  few  in  number  to  guard 
every  point ;  and  in  another  moment  the  Mexicans 
had  gained  the  walls  at  a  dozen  places. 

Filled  with  the  fury  of  despair,  and  now  fighting 
only  for  vengeance,  the  defenders  sprang  at  these 
with  clubbed  rifles  and  their  terrible  bowie-knives. 
Scores  were  killed,  but  hundreds  took  their  places. 
Step  by  step,  the  fighting  Texans  were  overborne 
and  driven  back  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers.  Cov 
ered  with  wounds,  they  fought  to  the  last,  each  man 
as  he  fell  surrounded  by  a  ghastly  heap  of  the  foes 
he  had  slain.  At  length  a  scanty  remnant,  not 
more  than  a  dozen  in  all,  led  by  Travis,  took  refuge 
in  the  church  that  sheltered  their  wounded. 

From  its  roof,  David  Crockett,  possessed  of  a  horn 
of  powder,  still  coolly  picked  of  the  Mexican  officers 
with  his  unerring  rifle,  while  the  others  loaded  the 
single  cannon  placed  at  that  point  for  a  final  dis 
charge.  As  they  finished  their  task,  a  volley  from 
the  walls  tumbled  the  brave  rifleman  to  the  court 
yard,  from  which  he  was  dragged  into  the  church  by 
Travis.  By  the  same  volley  both  of  his  companions 
were  killed  where  they  stood ;  but  one  of  them,  with 
an  expiring  effort,  touched  a  match  to  the  loaded 
cannon. 

As  this  last  gun  from  the  Alamo  thundered  forth 
its  note  of  defiance,  its  unaimed  ball  sped  to  the 
house-top  on  which  Rex  Harden  knelt  in  an  agony 


THE  LAST  SHOT  FROM  THE  ALAMO     265 

of  prayer,  and  laid  beside  him  the  mangled  corpse  of 
Domingo  the  Mexican. 

With  yells  of  terror,  Peralta  and  Domingo's  sur 
viving  comrade  leaped  to  the  ground  and  lied,  leav 
ing  Rex  alone.  Even  then  the  lad  did  not  seem  to 
realize  what  had  happened.  He  still  knelt,  dumbly 
gazing,  with  an  awful  fascination,  at  the  Alamo  and 
listened  with  aching  ears  to  the  muffled  sounds  of 
conflict  that  still  came  from  it.  Finally  a  crash  of 
musketry  echoed  from  the  courtyard,  and  a  dull  roar 
sounded  from  the  reeking  interior  of  the  building 
that  had  been  consecrated  to  peace  and  good  will. 
It  was  the  last  shot  of  that  bitter  struggle,  and  was 
fired  from  a  cannon  loaded  with  grape,  that  had 
been  aimed  through  the  doorway  of  a  small  room  in 
which  were  huddled  the  Texan  wounded.  As  the 
smoke-pall  of  that  murderous  discharge  was  slowly 
lifted,  it  disclosed  only  a  heap  of  mangled  corpses. 

A  few  moments  before,  David  Crockett  and  five 
others,  all  wounded  unto  death,  but  desperately  fight 
ing  with  what  feeble  strength  remained  to  them,  had 
been  taken  alive  and  dragged  before  Santa  Anna. 
There  Colonel  Almonte  was  so  affected  by  the  hero 
ism  of  their  resistance  that  he  begged  his  com 
mander  to  spare  them. 

With  a  contemptuous  sneer  on  his  thin  lips,  the 
Mexican  President  turned  to  a  file  of  soldiers  and 
said: 

"  Kill  for  me  these  rebels  !  " 


266  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

As  the  fatal  volley  rang  out,  he  pointed  to  the  poor 
dead  bodies,  saying  harshly,  "  Those,  colonel,  are  my 
only  terms  for  the  Texas  dogs  !  " 

Travis  died  defending  the  room  that  held  his  help 
less  wounded ;  but  ere  he  fell  he  had  reared  to  him 
self  a  monument  of  slain  foes. 

A  Mexican  officer  taunted  gallant  Bowie  with  the 
defeat  of  his  cause,  and  handing  him  a  dagger,  invited 
him  to  kill  himself,  thus  saving  his  conquerors  the 
trouble.  For  answer,  the  blue-eyed  giant  rallied  his 
failing  strength  with  a  mighty  effort,  sprang,  like  a 
wounded  tiger  at  the  throat  of  his  tormentor,  plunged 
the  dagger  to  its  hilt  into  his  body,  and  fell  back,  to 
be  pierced  an  instant  later  by  a  dozen  bayonets. 

So  the  Alamo  fell,  and  its  defenders  died,  until 
not  one  man  of  them  all  was  left  to  tell  the  heroic 
story.  Mrs.  Dickinson  was  spared  together  with 
her  babe,  and  the  two  Mexican  women  of  Bexar. 
There  was  none  other ;  but  ere  the  noble  band  who 
thus  died  for  Texas  yielded  up  their  lives  they  had 
demanded  a  tribute  from  the  enemy  of  five  hundred 
and  twenty  dead  besides  a  like  number  unfitted  for 
further  service  by  reason  of  their  wounds. 

It  was  all  so  quickly  done  that  the  morning  sun 
was  hardly  an  hour  high  when,  awed  into  silence  by 
the  tragedy  they  had  just  witnessed,  the  spectators 
of  the  battle  returned  to  their  homes,  and  the  wearied 
but  exultant  troops  to  their  camp. 

But  Santa  Anna  would  not  have  his  victory  passed 


THE  LAST  SHOT  FROM  THE  ALAMO  267 

over  in  silence ;  and,  though  the  dead  still  lay  in 
ghastly  heaps,  staring  with  sightless  eyes  into  the 
brilliant  sunshine,  and  though  the  acequias  of  the 
city  still  ran  crimson,  the  Mexican  President  ordered 
a  general  rejoicing.  At  his  command  the  batteries 
thundered  forth  a  salute,  the  church  bells  rang  out 
joyous  peals,  while  at  the  altars  below  priest  and 
acolyte  chanted  a  service  of  thanksgiving  ;  the  whole 
city  was  decked  with  flags  and  bright  colors ;  there 
was  everywhere  feasting,  and  dancing,  and  songs  of 

joy- 
As  soon  as  the  troops  were  somewhat  rested  they 
were  set  to  work  to  dispose  of  the  slain,  which  they 
did  by  burning  them  on  great  piles  of  timber  beyond 
the  walls  for  which  they  had  fought.  Thus,  by  the 
hour  of  sunset  on  that  ever-to-be-rernembered  Sabbath, 
nothing  mortal  was  left  of  the  heroic  dead  save  a  few 
handfuls  of  wind-blown  ashes,  and  of  all  who  had  gar 
risoned  the  Alamo,  only  Rex  Harden  remained  alive. 
Alone  on  that  housetop  he  had  watched,  with  blood 
less  face,  the  swarming  Mexicans  scale  the  walls,  the 
hand-to-hand  conflict  of  tens  against  hundreds,  and 
had  seen  the  fearful  struggle  roll  slowly  back  until 
it  was  hidden  within  the  church.  Of  the  awful  hap 
penings  in  that  narrow  space  he  could  then  only  know 
by  conjecture,  though  he  afterwards  learned  the  bitter 
details.  All  this  time  he  had  no  thought  for  himself, 
but  only  for  the  gallant  comrades  who  were  being 
done  to  death  before  his  eyes. 


268  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

At  length  he  was  aroused  to  his  immediate  sur 
roundings  by  hearing  a  light  footstep  beside  him 
and  feeling  a  tiny  hand  laid  on  his  arm.  Turning 
quickly,  he  looked  into  the  frightened  face  of  his 
little  friend  'Rillo,  whose  quivering  lips  betrayed 
the  effort  he  was  making  to  be  brave. 

"  Why,  'Rillo  !  "  exclaimed  the  lad,  at  the  same  time 
glancing  about  him  to  discover  who  had  brought  the 
child  to  that  place.  "  How  came  you  here  ?  " 

"  I  came,"  answered  the  little  chap,  "  to  see  what 
the  wicked  Domingo  was  going  to  do  with  you  and 
my  father,  and  I  could  not  find  where  you  had  gone. 
Then  the  shooting  began,  and  I  was  so  frightened  that 
I  myself  hid.  When  it  was  more  quiet,  I  looked  out 
and  saw  you  up  here ;  so  I  came  to  you.  But  why 
are  you  tied  ?  " 

"  Because  I  can't  help  myself,"  replied  Rex,  with  a 
thrill  of  hope  in  his  breast ;  "  but  if  you  can  undo 
those  knots  behind  me,  'Rillo,  I  shall  be  very  glad. 
So  please  try  as  hard  as  you  can." 

Eager  to  be  of  service,  the  child  gladly  undertook 
the  task,  and  after  a  struggle,  working  with  teeth 
and  fingers,  he  finally  loosened  one  of  the  tightly 
fastened  knots.  Rex  could  now  help  with  the  others, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  was  freed  from  his  bonds. 

"  Now,"  he  said  to  himself  as  he  glanced  at  the 
still  swarming  troops,  any  one  of  whom  would  have 
killed  him  at  sight,  "  what  shall  I  do  next?" 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

TAWNY   SAVES   HIS  YOUNG   MASTER 

"  BUT  I  cannot  find  my  father,"  sobbed  the  child, 
recalling  his  original  purpose.  "I  heard  Domingo 
say  that  he  should  be  killed,  and  now  I  am  afraid 
the  wicked  men  have  done  it." 

t4No,  they  haven't,  little  'Rillo,"  said  Rex,  sooth 
ingly.  "  Domingo  has  been  killed ;  but  your  father 
is  safe  at  home,  and  if  you  run  back  there,  you 
will  find  him.  Besides,  Tawny  must  be  very 
hungry,  and  wondering  why  you  do  not  feed  him. 
But,  'Rillo,  you  must  not  tell  any  one,  not  even 
your  father,  that  you  have  seen  me ;  for  if  you  do, 
the  wicked  men  will  kill  us  all.  Will  you  remem 
ber  and  promise?" 

"Yes,  I  will  remember." 

"That's  right.  Now  run  along,  and  take  good 
care  of  Tawny  until  I  come." 

With  a  heart  full  of  gratitude  to  the  child  who 
had  loosened  his  bonds,  Rex  watched  him  out  of 
sight,  and  then  proceeded  to  carry  out  the  only 
plan  of  escape  that  presented  itself.  It  was  to 
assume  the  uniform  of  the  dead  Domingo,  and,  by 

269 


270  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

passing  himself  off  as  a  wounded  soldier,  endeavor 
to  make  his  way  beyond  the  Mexican  lines. 

Much  as  he  dreaded  to  strip  the  rigid  body,  he 
forced  himself  to  the  task,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
had  drawn  on  the  blood-stained  uniform  over  his 
own  clothing.  Pulling  the  soldier's  cap  well  down 
over  his  eyes,  and  smearing  every  exposed  portion 
of  his  white  skin  with  moistened  gunpowder,  he 
picked  up  the  dead  man's  musket  to  use  as  a  staff, 
limped  stiffly  from  the  building,  and  began  his 
anxious  search  for  some  place  where  he  might  hide 
until  night. 

That  the  last  vestige  of  resistance  in  the  Alamo 
had  been  overcome  he  knew ;  for  not  only  did  the 
gaudy  flag  of  Mexico  float  above  its  walls,  but  the 
throngs  of  people  passing  in  both  directions  were 
eagerly  discussing  the  final  scenes  of  the  struggle. 
Thus  from  fragments  of  conversation  he  learned 
of  Bowie's  gallant  death,  of  how  Travis  fell,  of 
Almonte's  fruitless  effort  to  save  Crockett,  and  of 
the  butchery  of  the  helplessly  wounded,  so  that 
no  man  was  left  alive. 

As  he  heard  these  things,  he  could  hardly  breathe 
for  the  horror  and  rage  with  which  they  filled  him  ; 
and  he  trembled  as  though  he  were  indeed  the 
sorely  wounded  man  he  appeared.  Fortunately  for 
him,  wounded  soldiers  were  hobbling  from  the  scene 
of  battle  on  all  sides,  and  attracting  but  slight  atten 
tion  from  the  excited  townsfolk,  who  ran  to  and  fro 


TAWNY   SAVES   HIS   YOUNG   MASTER  271 

exchanging  thrilling  items  of  news.  To  be  sure, 
he  was  several  times  accosted,  and  begged  for 
information  ;  but  he  only  groaned,  and  passed  on 
without  answering. 

He  had  not  thus  proceeded  far  when  Peralta  and 
another  brushed  by  him  so  closely  that  he  could 
have  touched  them,  and  lie  overheard  the  former 
say :  "  Yes,  we  must  find  him,  for  he  was  too 
securely  bound  to  escape "  ;  at  which  Rex  ground 
his  teeth  and  quickened  his  steps. 

He  knew  that  his  situation  was  now  more  critical 
than  ever ;  for  when  those  men  found  that  he  had 
disappeared,  they  would  give  an  alarm,  and  the 
whole  city  would  be  searched  for  him.  To  enter 
it,  then,  would  be  to  enter  a  trap  from  which  there 
would  be  no  chance  of  escape.  But  which  way 
should  he  turn?  What  should  he  do?  Where 
should  he  go? 

Why  not  to  the  very  house  of  him  who  had  be 
trayed  him  ?  Peralta  was  away,  only  loyal  little 
'Rillo  would  be  there  ;  and  surely  the  last  place 
to  be  searched  would  be  the  premises  of  the  man 
most  interested  in  his  capture. 

The  thought  was  an  inspiration,  and,  yielding  to 
it,  Rex  hobbled  in  the  direction  of  Manuel  Peralta's 
pulqueria.  He  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  it  so 
absolutely  deserted  that  not  even  'Rillo  was  to  be 
seen.  Feeling  that  he  would  be  safer  outside  the 
house  than  in  it,  and  also  desiring  to  be  as  close 


272  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

as  possible  to  his  horse,  Rex  entered  the  little  stable, 
where  Tawny,  chafing  at  his  confinement,  was  over 
joyed  to  see  him,  though  he  sniffed  suspiciously 
at  the  blood-soaked  garments  worn  by  his  young 
master. 

Believing  that  he  should  have  no  further  need 
of  these,  Rex  stripped  them  off,  and  hid  them. 
Then,  arranging  a  place  of  concealment  beneath  a 
scanty  pile  of  forage,  he  prepared  to  pass  a  weary 
day,  and  await  with  what  patience  he  might  the 
coining  of  darkness.  Tawny  was  munching  the 
corn  with  which  'Rillo  had  recently  supplied  him, 
and  the  sound  of  his  eating  caused  Rex  to  realize 
his  own  hunger.  As  nothing  better  offered,  he,  too, 
ate  raw  corn,  and  turned  heartsick,  as  he  thought  of 
the  brave  fellows  whom  he  had  seen  doing  the  same 
thing  in  the  Alamo  only  a  few  hours  before. 

The  horror  of  his  thoughts  so  overcame  him  that, 
to  change  them,  he  began  with  his  pocket-knife  to 
enlarge  a  chink  in  the  mud  walls,  so  that  he  might 
look  out.  Although  the  view  thus  obtained  was 
very  limited,  he  could  see  gay  banners  replacing  the 
symbol  of  death,  that  for  two  weeks  had  streamed 
ominously  above  the  Cathedral.  He  could  also  hear 
the  saluting  guns,  the  jubilant  bells,  the  triumphant 
music,  and  the  glad  shouts  with  which  the  Mexicans 
celebrated  their  victory,  and  the  sounds  filled  him 
with  an  impotent  rage.  This  was  succeeded  by  a 
despondency  so  deep  that  it  seemed  as  though  his 


TAWNY   SAVES   HIS   YOUNG   MASTER  273 

whole  beloved  country  lay  beneath  a  pall  of  destruc 
tion  and  death.  Who  now  could  hold  Santa  Anna 
in  check,  or  who  would  dare  oppose  his  victorious 
march  ? 

Then  he  thought  of  the  dear  ones  waiting  fearfully 
by  the  beautiful  Cibolo.  Perhaps  even  now  the 
brutal  soldiers  of  the  tyrant  were  marching  in  that 
direction.  It  seemed  as  though  he  must  mount 
Tawny  that  very  minute  and  fly  to  them.  So 
strong  was  his  longing  for  action  that  he  might  have 
attempted  this,  had  not  the  sound  of  approaching 
voices  warned  him  of  the  folly  of  such  an  attempt,, 
and  caused  him  to  crouch  in  his  hiding-place. 

It  was  only  a  party  of  peons  on  their  way  to  join 
in  the  festivities  of  the  city,  and  laughing  noisily  as 
they  passed.  A  little  later  some  soldiers  came  and 
ransacked  the  pulqueria  for  liquor.  Rex  heard 
them  swear  because  there  was  none,  and  rejoice  that 
the  keeper  of  so  wretched  a  place  would  never  return 
to  it.  The  lad  wondered  what  they  meant,  but  it 
was  some  weeks  later  before  he  found  out. 

Then  he  learned  that  the  comrade  of  Domingo, 
furious  at  the  latter's  death,  the  disappearance  of  their 
prisoner,  and  the  loss  of  his  expected  reward,  had 
denounced  the  zapatero  as  a  traitor  who  had  served 
the  rebels  in  the  Alamo,  and  assisted  one  of  them  to 
escape.  With  this  Peralta  was  taken  before  Santa 
Anna,  who,  upon  hearing  the  charges  against  him, 
had  ordered  the  wretched  man  to  be  shot.  So  he 


274  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

was  dragged  away,  already  nearly  dead  with  fright, 
and  from  that  moment  the  places  that  had  known 
him  knew  him  no  more. 

Little  'Rillo,  in  the  meantime,  ignorant  of  the 
tragedies  that  were  overshadowing  his  young  life, 
had  gone  into  the  city  with  some  other  children,  and 
was  enjoying  to  the  full  the  unwonted  festivities  of 
the  day.  He  was  reassured  as  to  his  father's  safety, 
for  he  had  seen  him  in  the  pulqueria,  when,  by  the 
desire  of  the  Seiaor  Rex,  he  had  returned  to  it  that 
morning.  At  that  time  Peralta  had  been  in  such 
a  terrible  temper,  that  the  child  fled  from  him,  and 
so  had  wandered  into  the  city. 

It  was  dark  when,  tired  and  hungry,  the  little  chap 
reached  the  cheerless  place  that  he  called  home,  and 
was  terrified  to  find  in  it  a  party  of  soldiers  Avho 
were  searching  its  every  corner  with  lanterns. 
When  he  saw  them  he  started  to  run,  but  they 
caught  him  just  outside,  and  demanded  to  know 
where  the  young  Seiior  Harden  was  hidden. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  answered  the  terrified  child. 
"  He  is  not  here,  but  only  his  horse." 

"  Where  is  his  horse  ?  " 

"  In  the  stable  of  the  donkey,  where  I  am  to  feed 
him." 

"We  will  take  care  of  him  for  you,  muchacho," 
said  one,  and  then  all  started  towards  the  place 
where  Rex  and  Tawny  were  hidden. 

The   fugitive   lad    had   heard   their   arrival,   and 


TAWNY   SAVES   HIS   YOUNG   MASTER  276 

knew  from  their  conversation  that  they  were  in 
search  of  him.  He  grew  faint  as  he  realized  the 
imminence  of  his  danger,  and  his  knees  trembled  so 
that  he  could  hardly  stand.  Still  he  made  out  to 
prepare  for  it ;  and  when  approaching  voices  together 
with  tiny  gleams  of  lantern  light  announced  the 
coming  of  those  who  sought  him,  he  was  ready  to 
make  a  final  effort  for  freedom. 

Tawny  had  been  turned  about  so  as  to  face  the 
entrance,  and  Rex,  with  arms  clasped  about  the 
animal's  neck,  lay  on  his  back.  There  had  been  no 
time  for  saddle  or  bridle,  and  he  had  not  more  than 
assumed  this  position  when  the  door  of  the  stable 
was  wrenched  open. 

At  that  instant  the  hunted  lad  uttered  so  fierce 
a  yell  in  Tawny's  ear,  as  caused  the  horse  to  bolt 
through  the  doorway  with  the  force  of  a  catapult. 
Half  of  the  soldiers  were  hurled  to  the  ground,  their 
lanterns  were  extinguished,  and  a  veritable  cyclone 
seemed  to  sweep  over  them.  Ere  they  realized  what 
had  happened,  only  the  beat  of  galloping  hoofs  told 
of  the  passing  of  El  Diablo.  Even  then  they  knew 
not  if  he  were  riderless  or  bore  with  him  the  fugitive 
whom  they  sought. 

As  Rex  burst  from  the  timber  and  gained  the  open 
country  beyond,  a  cavalry  picket  let  fly  their 
escopettas  at  him,  and  started  in  hot  pursuit.  But 
they  might  as  well  have  chased  the  wind. 

The  guard  at  the  garita,  startled  by  the  sound  of 


276  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

on-rushing  horses  and  men,  formed  in  line  across  the 
road,  and  shouted  for  them  to  halt ;  but  dared  not 
fire  until  the  last  moment,  for  fear  they  might  be 
friends.  As  they  were  on  the  point  of  doing  so,  a 
black  form  reared  itself  in  their  faces,  took  a  great 
flying  leap  over  their  heads,  and  vanished  in  the 
further  darkness  amid  the  flashing  roar  of  their 
muskets.  Directly  afterwards  a  squad  of  cavalry 
charged  furiously  through  their  broken  line,  and 
disappeared  in  the  same  direction.  Half  an  hour 
later  these  returned  sullen  and  crestfallen,  declaring 
that  they  had  chased  no  horse  of  flesh  and  blood, 
but  El  Diablo  himself,  who  had  vanished  in  a  cloud 
of  flame  and  smoke,  leaving  no  trail  by  which  they 
might  follow  him. 

So  Rex  Harden  had  again  escaped  a  deadly  peril 
by  Tawny's  aid,  and  it  was  fortunate  for  him  that 
his  pursuers  gave  up  the  chase  when  they  did.  He 
had  gone  but  a  few  miles  from  the  garita  when  the 
pace  of  his  splendid  steed  began  to  slacken ;  and  a 
little  later,  in  spite  of  all  efforts  to  urge  him  forward, 
he  came  to  a  full  stop.  Leaping  to  the  ground,  and 
feeling  carefully  over  the  animal's  body,  Rex  quickly 
found  his  hands  covered  with  blood,  and  knew  that 
his  brave  Tawny  was  wounded.  Ignorant  of  what 
else  to  do,  he  tried  to  lead  him  forward ;  but  after  a 
few  faltering  steps  the  horse  again  stopped,  and  could 
not  be  persuaded  to  move. 

"  Oh,     Tawny,     Tawny !       My     dear,     splendid, 


TAWNY  SAVES   HIS  YOUNG  MASTER  277 

Tawny  !  What  can  I  do  ?  "  cried  the  poor  lad,  in  an 
agony  of  distress.  "To  remain  here  would  mean 
death  not  only  to  me,  but  perhaps  to  many  others. 
To  leave  you  will  break  my  heart ;  but  I  must  go  on, 
Tawny.  —  I  must.  There  is  no  other  way.  Good- 
by,  dear  old  horse.  In  giving  you  up  for  Texas,  I 
sacrifice  one  of  the  things  I  love  best  on  earth." 

Then,  tearing  himself  away  with  a  mighty  effort 
of  will,  and  a  sob  that  sounded  like  a  heart-break, 
Rex  clapped  his  hands  to  his  ears  to  shut  out 
Tawny's  reproachful  whinny,  and  ran  as  though 
pursued. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

THREE   BAFFLED   MEXICANS 

THE  spring  rains  had  so  drenched  the  black  soil 
that  the  road  was  heavy  with  mud,  through  which 
Rex  quickly  found  that  even  walking  demanded  the 
fullest  exertion  of  his  strength.  So  heavy  hearted 
was  he,  and  so  forlorn  was  his  situation,  that,  but 
for  the  dear  ones  whom  he  believed  to  be  awaiting 
him,  he  would  have  returned  to  die  with  Tawny. 
As  it  was,  he  would  not  give  up,  and  so  pushed 
on  through  the  clinging  mud,  wading  the  shallow 
prairie  streams,  and  floundering  through  quagmires 
until  it  seemed  as  though  he  must  drop  from 
sheer  exhaustion. 

The  darkness  merged  into  daylight,  the  sun  rose, 
the  morning  was  filled  with  the  song  of  larks,  and 
the  verdant  prairie  was  sprinkled  with  the  earliest 
blooms  of  spring  flowers ;  but  the  weary  lad  noticed 
none  of  these  things.  He  only  plodded  stolidly  for 
ward,  like  one  in  a  daze,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
far-away  timber  line  marking  the  Cibolo. 

It  was  high  noon  before  he  reached  the  Rancho 
Herrera,  and,  as  he  approached  it,  the  hope  that  had 
thus  far  sustained  him  was  dashed  by  its  appearance 

278 


THREE   BAFFLED   MEXICANS  279 

of  utter  desolation.  There  was  no  sound  of  voices, 
no  sign  of  human  presence.  Doors  and  windows 
were  closed,  and  over  the  whole  place  brooded  an 
unbroken  silence.  What  had  happened?  Had  its 
inmates  been  murdered  or  had  they  fled  ? 

Sick  with  fear,  Rex  forced  an  entrance,  and 
explored  the  silent  rooms.  To  his  unspeakable  re 
lief  he  found  no  signs  of  violence,  but  only  those  of 
hurried  departure.  In  the  cook-house  he  discovered 
food,  which  he  devoured  ravenously.  Then,  making 
his  way  to  his  own  room,  he  flung  himself  on  the 
bed,  and  instantly  fell  asleep. 

So  utterly  weary  was  the  lad  that  he  lay  for 
twenty-four  hours  motionless,  and  without  waking. 
When  he  finally  did  so,  he  lay  for  a  while  wondering 
how  long  he  had  slept,  and  whether  it  were  yester 
day  or  to-morrow,  but  his  hunger  finally  decided  the 
question,  and  he  sprang  up  with  a  sudden  activity. 
A  bath,  fresh  clothing,  and  a  hearty  meal  made  him 
again  fit  for  any  undertaking,  and  anxious  to  push 
on  to  the  eastward. 

First  he  visited  the  corral  and  stables,  with  the 
hope  of  finding  an  animal  to  ride,  but  all  had  been 
turned  loose  or  driven  away.  He  saw  several  dis 
tant  bands  of  horses,  but  they  were  far  too  wild  to 
allow  a  man  on  foot  to  approach  them,  and  after  a 
number  of  futile  efforts  to  do  so  he  returned  to  the 
house. 

Night  was  already  falling,  and  Rex  was  wondering 


280  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

whether  he  ought  to  start  at  once  on  his  weary  walk 
to  Gonzales  or  wait  until  morning,  when  he  was 
amazed  to  see  a  light  shining  from  one  of  the  win 
dows  of  the  building.  His  first  impulse  was  to  fly, 
since  it  was  more  than  probable  that  the  house  was 
occupied  by  enemies.  Still,  it  might  be  in  possession 
of  friends,  either  his  own  people  or  another  relief 
party  for  the  Alamo ;  and  if  so,  the  sooner  he  made 
himself  known  to  them,  the  better. 

Thus  thinking,  he  crept  cautiously  forward  and 
peered  in  at  the  lighted  window.  Three  Mexican 
soldiers  were  seated  at  a  table,  greedily  devouring 
what  remained  of  the  food  he  had  cooked  a  few 
hours  before.  They  were  evidently  in  great  haste, 
and  would  finish  their  meal  within  a  few  minutes. 

Having  learned  these  facts  by  a  single  glance,  Rex 
ran  noiselessly  to  the  front  of  the  house,  where,  as 
he  had  hoped,  he  found  three  horses  fastened.  To 
undo  their  halters,  leap  into  the  saddle  of  one,  and 
gallop  away,  leading  the  other  two,  was  but  the 
work  of  a  minute.  As  he  thus  dashed  out  on  the 
Gonzales  road,  it  was  all  the  young  lieutenant  could 
do  to  restrain  a  yell  of  exultation  at  having  thus 
gained  from  his  enemies  the  very  means  for  defeat 
ing  their  plans.  He  only  regretted  that  he  could 
not  have  done  them  some  greater  injury;  for,  with 
the  memory  of  the  Alamo  still  fresh  in  his  mind,  he 
was  full  of  vengeful  thoughts  towards  all  who  wore 
the  uniform  of  Mexico. 


THREE  BAFFLED  MEXICANS  281 

He  had  ridden  several  miles  when  suddenly  a 
harsh  voice  issuing  from  a  clump  of  chaparral  called 
out : 

"  Who  goes  there  ?     Halt,  or  we  fire  ! " 

The  young  man  nearly  leaped  from  his  saddle,  but 
he  still  realized  that  an  English  voice  must  be  a 
friendly  one,  and  reining  up  sharply,  answered : 

"  Friend  !     Don't  shoot ! " 

"  What  is  your  name,  friend  ?  Where  are  you 
from?  and  whither  bound?" 

"  Lieutenant  Rector  Harden  from  San  Antonio  for 
Gonzales,"  was  the  answer.  "  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Holy  smoke  !  It's  Rex  Harden,  and  in  another 
instant  I  should  have  shot  him  for  a  greaser  ! "  cried 
the  voice,  in  accents  of  horror,  as  several  dimly  out 
lined  forms  rose  from  the  bushes  and  hastily  advanced 
to  where  Rex  was  curbing  his  three  horses. 

"Thank  Heaven,  lad,  that  I've  been  saved  from 
murder  this  night ! "  exclaimed  the  foremost  of  these 
as  he  gained  the  road.  "  I'm  'Rastus  Smith,  and  these 
two  are  Henry  Karnes  and  Bob  Handy.  We  are 
scouting  in  advance  of  fifty  men  marching  to  the 
relief  of  the  Alamo,  and  there  are  three  hundred 
more  in  Gonzales  ready  to  start  to-morrow  for  the 
same  place.  But  what's  the  news,  lieutenant  ? 
All's  been  so  quiet  the  past  two  days  that  we've 
been  mightily  af eared  the  Alamo  had  fallen." 

"  It  has,"  groaned  Rex.  "  It  fell  Sunday  morning 
before  an  assault  of  four  thousand  Mexicans  led  by 


232  WITH   CKOCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

Santa  Anna  in  person.  Every  man  in  the  Alamo 
was  killed  and  their  bodies  were  burned. " 

"  Good  God,  man  !  You  don't  mean  it !  It  can't 
be  true  !  "  cried  Henry  Karnes.  "  Don't  tell  us  that 
Will  Travis  is  dead,  and  Jim  Bowie,  and  Davy 
Crockett,  and  Bonham,  and  —  " 

"  Every  one  of  them,  as  well  as  one  hundred  and 
eighty  others,  gave  their  lives  for  Texas  last  Sunday 
morning,  and  the  air  of  San  Antonio  reeked  with 
the  stench  of  their  burning  bodies  all  that  day," 
replied  Rex. 

While  he  was  relating  all  that  he  knew  of  the 
awful  tragedy  and  telling  of  his  own  miraculous  es 
cape,  the  main  body  of  the  expedition  came  up.  His 
sad  news  quickly  spread  through  the  ranks,  and  he 
was  at  once  surrounded  by  a  throng  of  men  clamor 
ing  for  details,  cursing  Santa  Anna,  and  vowing  ven 
geance  against  all  of  his  race.  When  our  lad  told 
of  the  three  Mexican  scouts  he  had  just  left  at  the 
Rancho  Herrera,  Deaf  Smith  cried  out  : 

"  They  must  never  get  back  to  Bexar  alive,  boys  ! 
and  I'm  going  after  their  scalps." 

A  score  of  eager  volunteers  begged  for  the  privi 
lege  of  accompanying  the  scout,  but  he  said  he  meant 
to  go  on  horseback,  and  asked  Rex  for  the  loan  of 
one  of  his  horses. 

This  request  was  readily  granted,  as  were  those 
of  Karnes  and  Handy,  who  also  begged  for  horses 
with  which  to  join  in  the  vengeful  chase. 


THREE   BAFFLED   MEXICANS  283 

So  Rex  passed  the  night  with  the  men  from  Gon 
zales,  who  camped  where  they  were,  and  the  next 
morning  started  with  them  on  their  march  back  to 
the  Guadalupe.  They  had  not  covered  more  than 
half  the  distance,  when  the  three  scouts  rejoined 
them,  with  their  sinister  mission  accomplished ;  but 
bringing  the  sad  news  that  the  Mexicans  had  fired 
the  main  house  of  the  Rancho  Herrera  and  burned 
it  to  the  ground. 

With  his  heavy  heart  made  still  more  sorrowful 
by  this  intelligence,  Rex  took  back  the  horse  he  had 
loaned  to  Handy,  and  rode  ahead  with  the  other 
two,  reaching  Gonzales  in  the  evening  of  the  third 
day  after  the  fall  of  the  Alamo. 

To  the  townsfolk  of  Gonzales,  most  of  whom  had 
counted  relatives  or  friends  among  the  defenders  of 
the  Alamo,  the  news  of  its  fall  carried  the  wildest 
grief  and  consternation.  On  all  sides  were  heard 
the  wails  of  widowed  women  and  orphaned  children, 
mingled  with  cries  of  fear.  Every  one  believed  that 
the  terrible  Santa  Anna  would  now  march  eastward, 
and  might  appear  at  any  moment.  So  great  was  the 
panic  that  preparations  for  flight  were  at  once  begun 
in  nearly  every  house. 

Amid  all  this  grief  and  terror  there  was  one 
bright  spot,  and  in  one  humble  dwelling  prayers 
of  gratitude  were  mingled  with  tears  for  the  heroic 
dead.  It  was  a  log  cabin  in  which  Sebastien  Tejada 
had  found  shelter  for  the  fugitives  from  the  Rancho 


284  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Ilerrera.  Here  Rex  was  greeted  by  his  mother 
and  the  two  girls,  as  one  restored  to  them  from 
the  grave. 

Late  that  night,  or  rather  early  the  following 
morning,  as  these  four  still  sat  talking  of  what  had 
happened,  and  trying  to  plan  for  the  future,  the  door 
of  their  cabin  was  flung  open,  and  a  man  of  com 
manding  presence,  but  so  splashed  from  head  to 
foot  with  black  prairie  mud,  as  to  be  for  a  moment 
unrecognizable,  stood  before  them. 

It  was  General  Sam  Houston,  who  had  started 
from  Washington  for  San  Antonio  on  the  day  of 
receiving  his  reappointment  from  the  convention 
as  commander-in-chief  of  the  Texan  army.  As  he 
now  learned,  it  was  the  very  day  on  which  the 
Alamo  fell.  Accompanied  only  by  his  military  sec 
retary,  and  riding  with  all  speed  to  the  relief  of  the 
beleaguered  troops,  he  had  only  just  reached  Gon- 
zales,  and  came  to  Rex  Harden  for  confirmation  of 
the  terrible  news  that  greeted  his  arrival. 

Again  Rex  told  his  sad  story,  and  the  General 
followed  its  every  detail  with  absorbed  attention. 
Tears  of  anguish  stood  in  his  eyes  when  it  was 
finished. 

"It  is  a  bitter  blow,"  he  said,  "but  I  pray  God 
that  the  sacrifice  of  those  brave  souls  may  not  be 
in  vain.  Perhaps  it  was  needed  to  rouse  Texans 
from  their  apathy  in  this  struggle  for  freedom.  Now 
we  must  try  and  save  Fannin  from  a  like  fate. 


THUEE    BAFFLED   MEXICANS  285 

Are  you  in  condition  to  carry  a  despatch  to  Goliad, 
lieutenant  ?  " 

"I  am,  sir,"  replied  Rex,  promptly;  "only  — 
Here  the  lad  cast  a  perplexed  glance  at  his  mother. 
"I  understand,"  said  Houston,  "and,  in  your 
absence,  will  care  for  these  dear  ones,  as  though 
they  were  my  own,  until  I  can  deliver  them  in 
safety  to  your  honored  father,  who  still  sits  with 
the  convention  at  Washington.  Did  you  know,  my 
boy,  that,  on  the  second  day  of  this  fateful  month, 
that  same  convention  declared  Texas  to  be  a  free 
and  independent  Republic  ?  This  news  you  will 
bear  to  Fannin,  as  well  as  the  sad  tidings  of  the 
fall  of  Alamo.  You  will  also  convey  to  him  my 
order  to  immediately  blow  up  his  fortifications, 
destroy  what  public  property  he  cannot  carry 
away,  and  retreat  with  all  his  force  to  the  Colo 
rado,  where  I  will  join  him ;  for  we  dare  not 
make  a  stand  against  Santa  Anna  until  we  can 
unite  our  slender  and  widely  scattered  forces. 
Therefore  my  policy  for  the  present  will  be  one 
of  retreat.  But  I  will  have  a  despatch  prepared 
for  you  to  deliver.  How  quickly  can  you  set 
out  ?  " 

"As  soon  as  I  can  procure  a  horse,  general." 

"  You  can  have  mine ;  for,  in  spite  of  his  recent 

hard   travel,  he  will  be  again  fit  for   the    road  by 

morning.     At  daylight,  then,  I  shall  expect  you  to 

be   en   route,    and   may    God   speed    your   mission. 


286  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

After   delivering    your   despatch,   you   will   remain 
with  Fannin  and  assist  in  his  retreat. 

"Ladies,  I  have  the  honor  to  wish  you  a  good 
night,  and  I  beg  that  you  will  not  allow  any  anxie 
ties  for  the  future  to  disturb  your  rest." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

AGAIN   ARE   THE   TEXANS   DEFEATED 

So  heavy  were  the  roads  and  so  inferior  to  Tawny 
was  the  horse  now  ridden  by  Rex,  that  he  did  not 
reach  Goliad  until  the  14th  of  April,  or  eight  days 
after  the  fall  of  the  Alamo.  He  found  Colonel 
Fannin  in  a  most  perplexing  position.  No  definite 
news  had  been  received  concerning  the  Mexican 
army  known  to  have  left  Matamoras  about  the  time 
that  Santa  Anna  began  his  eastward  march  from  the 
Rio  Grande;  but  the  air  was  thick  with  rumors  of 
its  approach.  Report  located  it  at  San  Patricio,  only 
fifty  miles  away.  A  few  days  previous  to  the  ar 
rival  of  General  Houston's  order  for  the  abandon 
ment  of  Goliad,  an  urgent  appeal  had  been  received 
from  Refugio,  a  small  mission  village  thirty  miles 
away,  stating  that  several  loyal  families  were  in 
danger  of  being  cut  off,  and  begging  for  an  escort. 

In  reply,  Fannin  sent  Captain  King  with  thirty- 
five  men  to  bring  them  in.  Since  then  nothing  had 
been  heard  from  this  relief  party,  nor  from  the  three 
scouts,  sent  out  on  as  many  successive  days  to  gain 
information  of  it.  Finally,  a  few  hours  before  Rex 

287 


288  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

reached  Goliad,  Major  Ward  of  Georgia  had  been 
directed  to  march  to  Refugio  with  his  battalion,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  strong  ;  and  now  Fannin  hesitated 
to  obey  even  so  imperative  an  order  as  that  brought 
by  our  young  lieutenant. 

"  God  knows  that  I  realize  the  danger  of  my 
position,  Harden,  and  the  necessity  for  retreat,"  ex 
claimed  the  perplexed  soldier.  "  But  how  can  I 
go  and  leave  those  brave  fellows  behind  to  be 
slaughtered  ?  No,  sir,  I  can  not  do  it,  but  must  wait 
for  news  from  them." 

Thus  four  precious  days  were  spent  in  waiting  for 
news  that  did  not  come,  days  of  suspense  and  sleep 
less  anxiety.  In  the  meantime  Goliad  was  filled 
with  rumors  of  the  near  approach  of  a  formidable 
Mexican  army.  The  native  population,  some  two 
thousand  in  number,  not  only  took  delight  in  exag 
gerating  these  rumors  to  increase  the  alarm  of 
the  Americans,  but  they  threw  every  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  their  procuring  draught  animals,  wagons, 
and  provisions,  all  of  which  were  necessary  for  the 
retreat. 

Finally,  a  wounded  and  blood-stained  soldier, 
nearly  dead  from  starvation  and  exhaustion,  crawled 
into  Goliad  with  a  terrible  tale  of  disaster.  The 
message  that  had  drawn  King  to  Refugio  had  been 
a  ruse  ;  and  upon  his  arrival  he  had  been  sur 
rounded  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  Mexicans. 
Throwing  themselves  into  the  old  mission,  the  thirty- 


AGAIN  ARE   THE   TEXANS   DEFEATED  289 

five  Americans  had  defended  it  for  two  days.  Then 
artillery  was  brought  to  bear  on  the  walls,  and, 
through  the  breaches  made  by  it,  one  thousand 
Mexicans  rushed  in  assault.  The  pitiful  handful  of 
defenders  was  wiped  out  in  a  minute.  Seven  of 
them,  including  their  intrepid  commander,  captured 
alive,  were  immediately  taken  outside,  fastened  to 
trees,  and  shot. 

The  Mexicans  next  advanced  to  meet  Major  Ward, 
of  whose  coming  they  had  been  notified.  He,  fall 
ing  into  an  ambush,  still  made  a  desperate  resistance, 
inflicting  a  heavy  loss  on  the  enemy,  and  finally  es 
caped  under  cover  of  darkness  with  a  scanty  rem 
nant  of  his  men.  For  two  days  these  wandered 
hopelessly  amid  swamps  and  drowned  timber-lands, 
dying  of  wounds  and  exhaustion,  until  the  few  who 
remained  alive  surrendered  as  prisoners  of  war  to  a 
party  of  Mexican  troops  near  Victoria. 

With  this  information  Fannin  hesitated  no  longer  ; 
but  gave  orders  that  a  retreat  to  the  Colorado  should 
be  begun  on  the  following  morning.  That  night  was 
spent  in  burying  the  heavier  guns,  blowing  up 
fortifications,  and  destroying  government  property. 
Scouts,  sent  out  at  daylight,  reported  no  signs  of  an 
enemy  on  the  eastern  road,  and,  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  the  little  army  of  Texans,  only  three 
hundred  in  number,  abandoned  Goliad  and  marched 
to  the  river.  There  two  hours  were  spent  in  cross 
ing  their  artillery  and  wagons.  Then  the  slow 


290  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

march,  which  must  keep  pace  with  laggard  oxen, 
was  resumed. 

The  day  was  bright  and  hot,  and  at  noon  Colonel 
Faniiin  ordered  a  halt  to  rest  his  teams.  The  point 
at  which  this  rest  was  taken  was  on  the  open  prairie, 
some  eight  miles  east  of  Goliad  and  within  five  miles 
of  the  timber  line  marking  the  Coletto,  the  next 
watercourse  on  their  route. 

After  an  hour's  halt  the  line  of  march  was  again 
taken  up,  and  the  cavalry  force  of  the  expedition  — 
only  twenty-eight  in  all  —  was  sent  ahead  to  examine 
the  crossing  of  the  Coletto.  Soon  after  they  were 
lost  to  view  in  the  timber,  Rex,  who  rode  beside 
Colonel  Fannin,  called  the  latter's  attention  to  a 
couple  of  horsemen  emerging  from  the  same  line  of 
trees  a  mile  or  so  distant. 

Focussing  his  field-glass  on  these,  the  commander 
uttered  an  exclamation.  At  the  same  moment  the 
two  horsemen  were  joined  by  a  strong  force  of  cav 
alry,  that,  sweeping  from  the  river  bottom,  galloped 
obliquely  forward  on  a  line  that  would  intercept  the 
Texans,  and  cut  them  off  from  the  timber. 

"  Mexican  lancers  !  "  cried  Rex,  who  knew  only 
too  well  the  gaudy  uniform,  the  waving  plumes,  and 
pennoned  spears  of  that  corps. 

"  They  are,  indeed  !  "  replied  his  companion ;  "  and 
there  come  their  supports." 

As  he  spoke,  dark  masses  of  infantry  were  to  be 
seen  emerging  from  the  timber  at  the  same  point. 


AGAIN  ARE   THE   TEXANS   DEFEATED  291 

"  God  help  us  !  We  must  fight  them  here  in  the 
open,"  exclaimed  Fannin.  With  this  he  halted  his 
slender  column  and  formed  it  into  a  holloAv  square, 
with  artillery  posted  at  the  four  corners,  and  wagons 
in  the  centre.  As  the  Mexicans  drew  near,  the  guns 
opened  fire  at  long  range,  and  gave  the  Texas  cav 
alry  their  first  intimation  of  trouble.  They  came 
hurrying  back  from  the  timber,  but  communication 
with  their  friends  was  already  cut  off.  A  few 
minutes  later  they  were  compelled  to  fly  for  their 
lives  before  a  charge  of  lancers,  who  pursued  them 
to  the  river,  where  they  finally  made  good  their 
escape. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Mexican  infantry  charged 
boldly,  in  spite  of  the  steady  fire  of  the  Texas  guns. 
Advancing  from  three  sides  at  once,  with  a  furious 
discharge  of  musketry,  they  rushed  at  the  little 
square  as  though  expecting  to  overwhelm  it  by  a 
single  effort.  Not  until  the  opposing  bayonets  were 
actually  interlocking,  did  they  realize  how  deadly 
were  the  rifles  of  those  western  frontiersmen.  Then 
they  recoiled,  staggered,  and  fled,  leaving  the  still 
unbroken  square  surrounded  by  scores  of  dead  and 
wounded  men. 

Disheartened  by  the  failure  of  their  first  grand 
charge,  the  Mexicans  attempted  but  two  more,  and 
these  were  so  lacking  in  spirit  as  to  be  easily  re 
pulsed  by  the  Texas  riflemen.  After  that  their 
commander  contented  himself  with  drawing  a  close 


292  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

cordon  about  his  intended  victims  arid  firing  at  them 
from  a  safe  distance  until  dark.  But  this  was  a 
game  at  which  the  riflemen  were  perfectly  at  home, 
and  for  every  American  hit  by  a  bullet  at  least  three 
Mexicans  bit  the  dust. 

In  this  long-range  warfare  the  most  serious  dam 
age  done  by  the  Mexicans  was  the  killing  of  the 
American  cattle,  which  precluded  the  possibility  of 
removing  their  wounded  from  that  place,  even  if  an 
opportunity  for  retreat  should  be  offered. 

With  the  coming  of  darkness  the  extended  line 
of  Mexican  camp-fires  indicated  their  position,  and 
showed  how  effectively  the  besieged  were  cut  off 
from  the  blessed  water,  for  lack  of  which  they  were 
already  suffering  acutely.  Many  of  the  wounded 
became  delirious  from  thirst,  and  their  pitiful  ap 
peals  for  water  caused  their  uninjured  comrades 
more  distress  than  even  their  own  parched  mouths. 

All  night  long  those  who  were  able  labored  so 
diligently  at  throwing  up  intrenchments,  that  by 
morning  they  could  safely  defy  attack  by  a  force 
much  greater  than  any  that  had  thus  far  appeared 
against  them. 

Just  before  dawn  Fannin,  who  was  himself 
wounded,  called  his  men  together,  and  laid  before 
them  the  desperate  nature  of  their  position. 

"  There  is  but  one  hope  for  you,"  he  said,  "  and 
that  is  to  start  at  once,  cut  your  way  through  the 
enemy's  line  while  he  is  still  asleep,  and  then  dis- 


AGAIN  ARE  THE  TEXANS  DEFEATED  293 

perse  in  small  parties.  In  that  way  some  of  you 
can  probably  escape." 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  with  the  wounded  ?  " 

"We  must  be  left  to  accept  whatever  fate  the 
Mexicans  may  reserve  for  us/' 

"It  would  be  the  fate  of  the  Alamo,"  shouted 
Rex  Harden. 

Then  from  all  sides  rose  cries  of,  — 

"We  will  never  abandon  our  helpless  comrades. 
Whatever  fate  awaits  them  shall  be  ours  as  well." 

So  it  was  settled,  and  there  was  no  further  talk 
of  retreat. 

With  the  coming  of  daylight,  the  Mexicans,  who 
had  been  reenforced  by  seven  hundred  cavalry  and 
a  battery  of  artillery,  renewed  the  attack  by  can 
nonading  the  Texan  position  at  long  range. 

Fannin  withheld  his  fire  because  of  his  scanty 
supply  of  powder,  and  because  with  each  minute 
he  expected  it  would  be  needed  to  repel  a  general 
assault.  Instead  of  this,  to  his  infinite  surprise,  the 
Mexican  fire  ceased  with  sunrise,  and  an  officer 
appeared  with  a  flag  of  truce.  He  demanded  an 
unconditional  surrender,  to  which  Fannin  replied 
that  he  would  fight  so  long  as  he  had  a  man  left 
able  to  fire  a  rifle,  rather  than  surrender  without 
terms. 

So  the  flag  returned,  and  the  entire  Mexican 
army  formed  in  order  of  battle.  Now  every  Texan 
nerved  himself  for  the  expected  onset,  the  gunners 


294  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

stood  beside  their  pieces  with  lighted  matches,  and 
the  riflemen  sighted  their  long  barrels.  But  it 
never  came.  Instead  of  ordering  an  attack,  General 
Urrea,  accompanied  by  an  officer  bearing  another 
white  flag,  rode  out  in  front  of  his  extended  lines. 
Colonel  Fannin,  with  Major  Wallace  and  Rex 
Harden,  the  latter  being  asked  to  act  as  interpreter, 
advanced  to  meet  them. 

The  two  commanders  greeted  each  other  with 
grave  courtesy,  and  then  General  Urrea  begged 
that  Colonel  Fannin  would  avoid  a  further  useless 
shedding  of  blood  by  surrendering  to  the  vastly 
superior  Mexican  force. 

The  latter  replied  that  as  he  was  strongly  in 
trenched  and  well  prepared  to  resist  any  force  that 
could  be  brought  against  him,  he  should  not  sur 
render  except  on  the  most  advantageous  terms. 

Rex  Harden  interpreted  for  both  sides  ;  and  it 
was  largely  owing  to  his  diplomacy  that  the  follow 
ing  honorable  terms  were  granted: 

1st,  That  the  Texans  should  be  treated  as  pris 
oners  of  war,  according  to  the  usages  of  the  most 
civilized  nations.  2d,  That  they  must  lay  down 
their  arms.  3d,  That  the  men  should  be  sent  to 
the  coast  within  eight  days,  and  thence  to  the 
United  States,  as  soon  as  vessels  could  be  procured 
to  transport  them.  4th,  That  the  officers  should  be 
paroled,  and  also  forwarded  to  the  United  States. 
Rex  wrote  out  this  agreement  in  both  English 


AGAIN  ARE  THE   TEXANS  DEFEATED  295 

and  Spanish,  the  duplicate  papers  were  signed  by 
the  respective  commanders,  and  the  battle  of  the 
Coletto  was  ended. 

Although  mortified  at  being  forced  to  surrender, 
the  Texans  rejoiced  at  receiving  such  favorable 
terms,  and  immediately  piled  their  arms  outside 
their  breastworks,  where  they  were  taken  into  pos 
session  of  the  Mexicans.  Then  the  unwounded 
prisoners,  some  two  hundred  in  number,  were 
marched  back  to  Goliad,  which  place  the  wounded, 
among  whom  was  Colonel  Fannin,  did  not  reach 
until  two  days  later. 

Thus  for  the  fourth  time  in  his  short  but  eventful 
experience  of  war  did  Rex  Harden  find  himself  a 
prisoner  in  the  hands  of  his  Mexican  enemies.  The 
present  captivity,  however,  he  regarded  but  lightly  ; 
for  was  he  not  shortly  to  be  sent  to  the  United 
States  and  set  free  ?  Certainly  he  was,  if  the  most 
solemn  pledges  that  men  can  exchange  were  bind 
ing  upon  Mexican  honor.  At  the  same  time,  he 
would  much  rather  be  liberated  in  Texas,  and  with 
out  giving  his  parole  not  to  fight  against  the 
butchers  of  the  Alamo. 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

"  LISTEN  !  " 

ALTHOUGH  the  prisoners  were  so  closely  crowded 
into  the  mission  church  of  Goliad  that  they  had 
scant  room  to  lie  down,  and  although  they  were 
allowed  neither  bedding  nor  fuel,  while  for  food 
they  were  only  given  a  daily  allowance  of  meat, 
without  bread  or  salt,  and  so  small  as  barely  to  save 
them  from  starvation,  they  were  comparatively 
happy  and  content ;  for  were  they  not  to  be  set  free, 
and  sent  to  their  homes  within  a  few  days?  This 
was  almost  the  sole  burden  of  their  thought  and  con 
versation.  Most  of  them  were  young  men  from  the 
States,  who  had  been  attracted  to  Texas  by  the  rom 
ance  with  which  its  name  and  cause  were  surrounded. 
In  far-away  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  Georgia  and  Loui 
siana,  it  had  seemed  a  gallant  thing  to  fly  to  the 
relief  of  suffering  Texas,  there  to  gallop  madly  over 
boundless  plains  in  pursuit  of  flying  foes,  to  feast  on 
unlimited  game,  perhaps  even  to  invade  the  strange, 
foreign  land  of  Mexico  itself,  and  wrest  the  freedom 
of  Texas  from  the  Tyrant  in  his  palace. 

Urged  by  such  anticipations,  and  by  the  restless 
296 


"  LISTEN  !  "  297 

enthusiasm  of  youth,  these  boys  —  for  most  of  them 
were  little  more  —  had  left  their  homes,  enlisted  in 
companies  of  Blues,  or  Grays,  or  Rangers,  or  Red 
Rovers,  or  some  other  catching  designation,  and, 
after  undergoing  many  hardships,  had  finally  landed 
on  the  soil  they  were  to  defend. 

From  this  point  their  disenchantment  was  even 
more  rapid  than  it  had  been  while  buffeted  by  the 
billows  of  the  Gulf.  They  were  now  drenched 
by  the  cold  rains  of  wet  northers,  forced  to  make 
weary  marches  through  mud  as  black  and  sticky  as 
tar,  or  to  endure  weeks  of  idleness  in  dreary  and 
wretchedly  equipped  camps.  Instead  of  feeding  on 
an  abundance  of  game,  they  starved  on  mouldy 
hardtack  and  rusty  bacon.  Instead  of  dashing  on 
splendid  horses  across  breezy  prairies  in  pursuit  of 
flying  foes,  they  were  condemned  to  weary  labor  on 
fortifications  with  hours  of  hateful  drill  thrown  in 
by  way  of  change.  They  never  saw  the  Tyrant  they 
were  to  drive  across  the  Rio  Grande,  nor  even  one  of 
his  soldiers,  until  he  surrounded  them  with  an  army 
to  which  they  must  surrender,  or  die  of  thirst. 
Thus  their  present  captivity  with  its  promise  of  a 
speedy  return  to  their  homes  was  the  very  pleasant- 
est  episode  of  their  whole  experience  in  Texas. 
How  dear  and  inviting  those  far-away  homes  now 
seemed !  How  the  thin-faced  boys  talked  of  them, 
and  longed  for  them ;  how  they  smiled  when  they 
thought  of  what  heroes  they  would  be  when  they 


298  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

reached  them,  and  how  firmly  they  determined  never 
again  to  leave  them! 

They  had  surrendered  on  the  20th,  and,  according 
to  General  Urrea's  pledged  word,  were  to  be  liberated 
within  eight  days.  Therefore  on  the  28th,  at  the 
latest,  they  would  be  free.  How  they  counted  the 
days,  hours,  and  even  minutes  as  the  time  dragged 
slowly  by ! 

One  morning  Colonel  Fannin  announced  that  he 
was  going  under  guard  to  Copano,  the  nearest  sea 
port,  to  find  out  what  vessels  were  available  for  their 
transportation,  and  they  gave  him  a  hearty  cheer  as 
he  left  them.  On  that  same  day  eighty  more  volun 
teers  fresh  from  the  States,  who  had  been  captured 
by  the  Mexicans  the  moment  they  set  foot  on  Texas 
soil,  were  marched  into  Goliad,  and  huddled  with  the 
other  prisoners  in  the  old  mission  church. 

But  no  one  minded  the  extra  crowding,  since  it  was 
done  by  friends  just  from  home.  There  would  be 
only  four  more  days  of  it,  anyhow  ;  while,  between 
the  veterans  who  had  actually  fought  for  Texas,  and 
the  new-comers,  who  were  not  likely  to  have  a 
chance  to  do  so,  there  was  so  much  to  tell  and  to 
hear,  that  the  time  would  pass  very  quickly.  As  a 
hero  of  the  Alamo,  Rex  Harden  was  of  especial 
interest  to  the  late  arrivals,  who  regarded  him  with 
much  the  same  awe  as  they  would  Sam  Houston 
himself. 

One  thing  about  these  new-comers  greatly  puzzled 


"LISTEN!"  299 

Rex  and  his  companions.  It  was  that  each  of  them 
wore  a  white  rag  tied  about  his  left  arm.  When 
questioned  concerning  these  badges,  they  could  give 
no  information,  save  that  a  Mexican  officer  had  tied 
them  in  place,  and  charged  them  not  to  remove  the 
bits  of  cloth  under  penalty  of  death.  All  the  prison 
ers  discussed  this  problem  at  length,  but  could  arrive 
at  no  satisfactory  conclusion  concerning  it,  though 
the  general  opinion  was  that  those  wearing  the 
white  badges  would  be  held  as  prisoners  much 
longer  than  the  others,  and  would  probably  be  sent 
to  Mexico,  since  they  had  been  obliged  to  surrender 
without  making  terms. 

There  was  a  pale-faced,  studious-looking  youth 
among  the  new-comers  named  Fenno,  who  was  con 
vinced  that  this  was  the  correct  explanation,  and 
was  heartbroken  in  consequence.  He  was  of  the 
same  age  as  our  Rex,  and  the  very  contrast  of  their 
personalities  caused  an  intimacy  to  spring  up  be 
tween  them.  Fenno,  soft-handed,  low-voiced,  and 
of  a  peculiarly  gentle  disposition,  had  never  before 
been  away  from  home,  and  was,  as  Rex  told  one  of 
his  comrades,  "  precociously  "  ignorant  of  the  world. 

"  Yes,  looks  like  he  would  faint  dead  away  at  the 
sight  of  blood,"  rejoined  the  other.  "  Regular  Miss 
Nancy,  and  what  brought  him  down  here  is  surely  a 
beater." 

Fenno  had  been  brought  there  through  sheer 
ignorance,  and  from  a  romantic  desire  to  become  a 


300  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

champion  of  liberty.  Now,  with  his  illusions  all 
vanished,  he  would  gladly  give  anything  that  he 
valued,  to  be  once  more  back  in  his  Ohio  home.  So 
the  belief  that,  as  a  wearer  of  a  white  badge,  he 
would  be  carried  into  Mexico  for  an  indefinite  im 
prisonment,  made  him  positively  ill.  "  Oh !  If  I 
were  only  in  your  place  !  "  he  cried,  "  and  sure  of 
being  sent  to  the  States  within  two  days." 

At  this  Rex  meditated,  and  then  said  thought 
fully,  "  Well,  I  don't  know  but  what  I'd  change 
places  with  you.  I'd  a  heap  rather  stay  here  in 
Texas  than  go  to  the  States  just  now,  and  I've 
already  thought  out  a  plan  for  escape.  It  will  take 
time,  though,  and  I'm  afraid  they  are  going  to  send 
us  off  to-morrow.  You  know  Colonel  Fannin  has 
just  got  back  from  Copano,  with  the  news  that  several 
vessels  are  due  there,  so  they  may  ship  us  off  any 
day,  perhaps  even  to-morrow." 

As  a  result  of  this  conversation,  Rex  assumed 
Fenno's  white  badge  that  night,  they  exchanged 
clothing,  and  each  agreed  to  answer  to  the  other's 
name  at  roll-call  on  the  following  morning. 

That  was  the  night  of  the  26th  of  March,  and  as 
Major  Ward  with  the  survivors  of  his  battalion  had 
just  been  added  to  the  list  of  prisoners,  the  old 
mission  was  crowded  to  overflowing  ;  four  hundred 
and  forty-five  men  being  squeezed  within  its  narrow 
walls.  Still  they  were  all  in  good  spirits,  for  in 
some  way  the  impression  had  spread  among  them 


"  LISTEN  I  "  301 

that  on  the  next  day,  which  would  be  Palm  Sunday, 
and  also  the  last  of  the  eight  days  stipulated  for  on  the 
Coletto  prairie,  many,  if  not  all  of  them,  would  set  out 
for  their  far-away  homes.  So  they  talked  of  home, 
sang  uHome  Sweet  Home,"  until  tears  stood  in  their 
eyes,  and  finally  fell  happily  asleep  to  dream  of  home. 

At  daylight  soldiers  came  to  waken  them,  and 
order  them  into  line.  Instantly  the  report  passed 
from  mouth  to  mouth  that  the  vessels  had  reached 
Copano,  and  that  they  were  to  inarch  at  once  for 
that  port. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  little  old  States  !  "  shouted  one. 

"  Hurrah  for  good  old  home  !  "  cried  another. 

"  And  we'll  never  come  back  any  more  !  "  yelled  a 
chorus. 

All  was  excitement,  bustle,  and  happy  confusion. 

Amid  the  noise  the  voice  of  a  Mexican  sergeant 
was  heard,  announcing  that  the  "  white  rags  "  should 
remain  where  they  were. 

"  That's  rough  on  you  Johnnies,"  called  out  a 
sympathetic  veteran,  who  was  packing  his  slender 
kit  for  home. 

"Four  of  them,"  continued  the  sergeant,  "are 
wanted  to  assist  the  doctors.  Let  any  four  who  can 
speak  Mexican  step  this  way." 

The  doctors  thus  mentioned  were  four  American 
physicians,  found  among  the  prisoners,  and  ordered 
to  duty  in  the  Mexican  hospital.  To  assist  them, 
four  of  their  countrymen  were  detailed  each  day. 


302  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

At  the  call  on  this  occasion,  Rex  Harden,  who  had 
already  congratulated  Fenno  on  his  "  chance,"  sprang 
forward  and  was  accepted.  He  was  given  a  jacket 
and  cap  such  as  the  Mexican  hospital  stewards  wore, 
and  told  to  put  them  on.  This  was  in  order  that  he 
might  be  recognized  as  an  attache  of  the  hospital,  in 
case  he  should  happen  to  be  sent  outside  on  errands. 

Rex  purposely  delayed  his  dressing  until  his  late 
companions,  and  Fenno  with  them,  had  marched 
joyously  from  the  church,  as  he  wished  to  avoid 
any  recognition  or  inquiries  that  would  attract  at 
tention  to  himself. 

The  departing  Americans  had  been  formed  in  three 
separate  columns,  each  guarded  by  a  double  file  of 
soldiers.  To  the  surprise  of  every  one  who  witnessed 
the  manoeuvre,  Rex  among  the  number,  these  three 
columns  were  marched  out  of  town  in  as  many  dif 
ferent  directions.  One  was  headed  down  the  river 
towards  Copano,  one  up  stream  in  the  direction  of 
San  Antonio,  and  one  due  west  as  though  it  were 
bound  to  Mexico. 

While  our  lad,  walking  slowly  towards  the  hospital, 
was  wondering  at  this,  and  also  planning  an  escape, 
his  preoccupation  caused  him  to  come  into  collision 
with  a  young  Mexican  officer  who  stood  alone  on  a 
street  corner,  gazing  after  the  receding  columns  of 
prisoners. 

Rex  began  to  apologize,  but  his  words  were  cut 
short ;  for,  as  the  other  turned  his  face  he  saw  that 


"  LISTEN  I  "  303 

it  was  his  old-time  friend  Florio  Veramendi,  whom 
he  had  not  met  since  the  latter  entered  the  army  two 
years  before,  and  whom  he  had  supposed  to  be  still 
stationed  at  the  Mexican  capital. 

At  this  moment  Florio's  generally  handsome  and 
laughing  face  was  so  haggard,  and  wore  an  expression 
of  such  horror,  that  the  greeting  which  Rex  started 
to  utter  died  on  his  lips,  and  instead  of  it  he  asked 
anxiously  : 

"  My  dear  Florio  !  can  this  be  you  ?  When  did 
you  come  to  Goliad?  What  is  the  matter?  You 
look  as  though  you  were  condemned  to  instant  ex 
ecution.  Are  you  ill?" 

"  111 ! "  cried  the  young  Mexican,  fiercely.  "  I  am  so 
sick  with  shame  that  my  heart  is  like  to  break.  Con 
demned  !  I  am  condemned  forever  to  wear  the  brand 
of  infamy  because  I  belong  to  a  race  perjured  and 
accursed  !  When  did  I  come  ?  I  reached  this  place 
of  horror  last  night,  bearing  a  sealed  and  urgent 
despatch  from  that  monster  of  deceit  and  prince  of 
human  devils,  Santa  Anna.  Of  its  contents  I  was 
ignorant  until  five  minutes  ago,  else  would  I  have 
endured  tortures  rather  than  deliver  it.  Having 
done  so,  though  innocently,  as  I  would  swear  before 
the  Almighty,  I  am  forever  marked  with  the  damn 
able  marks  of  Cain  and  Judas." 

"  You  rave,  Florio  !  Something  terrible  has  hap 
pened  to  upset  you.  I  am  your  friend,  even  though 
we  fight  on  opposite  sides.  Tell  me  your  trouble 


304  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

that  I  may  help  you  bear  it.  What  have  you  done  ? 
or  what  has  been  done  to  you?" 

"  I  brought  the  sentence  under  which  those  hun 
dreds  of  defenceless  and  unprepared  men  are  even 
now  led  out  to  be  slaughtered  in  cold  blood,"  an 
swered  the  young  Mexican,  speaking  with  deliberate 
emphasis. 

"  But,"  cried  Rex,  aghast,  "  that  cannot  be.  Those 
men  are  prisoners  of  war,  with  lives  and  liberty 
solemnly  pledged  to  them." 

"  For  that  very  reason  no  Mexican  may  ever  again 
claim  to  be  an  honorable  man,  and  I  am  outcast  from 
this  day." 

"  Florio,  I  won't  believe  it !  " 

"  Listen ! " 

From  far  out  on  the  western  prairie  came  a  dull 
roar  of  musketry. 

"Listen!" 

From  down  the  river  came  another  awful  crash 
of  guns. 

"  Listen ! " 

But,  with  a  cry  as  of  a  wild  beast  springing  on 
its  prey,  Rex  was  racing  madly  in  the  direction 
taken  by  the  third  column  of  prisoners,  the  one  with 
which  Fenno  had  gone. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

A   MASSACRE   FIIOM   WHICH  TWO   ESCAPE 

TEXAS  lay  apparently  at  the  mercy  of  Santa 
Anna.  Her  only  organized  bodies  of  troops  had 
been  wiped  from  existence,  her  foes  had  been  every 
where  triumphant,  and  were  now  marching  three 
strong,  well-equipped  armies  across  the  state.  The 
government  had  fled  from  Washington  on  the 
Brazos,  to  the  equally  insignificant  and  defenceless 
village  of  Harrisburg  on  Galveston  Bay,  near  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  Houston.  The  one  man 
upon  whom  the  faint  hopes  of  the  Texans  rested, 
and  whom  they  had  chosen  to  lead  them  in  battle, 
was  retreating  across  the  sodden  prairies  of  the 
Colorado  at  the  head  of  a  few  hundred  demoralized, 
barefooted,  and  wretchedly  equipped  troops.  With 
these  travelled  a  throng  of  helpless  refugees,  mostly 
women  and  children,  while  in  hot  pursuit  marched 
Santa  Anna,  leading  his  strongest  army  corps. 

That  he  did  not  overtake  and  destroy  the  fugitives 
was  owing  to  the  heavy  rains  that  turned  the  prairies 
into  quagmires,  and  made  of  every  stream  an  un- 
fordable  torrent.  At  each  one  the  Texans,  as  they 
crossed,  carefully  collected  and  destroyed  every  boat 
x  305 


306  WITH  CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

for  miles  up  and  down,  or  carried  them  to  the  east 
ern  bank.  Thus  at  every  river  the  Mexicans  were 
compelled  to  spend  days  in  constructing  rafts  for 
their  artillery  and  baggage.  The  Texans,  moreover, 
burned  all  villages  as  they  evacuated  them,  begin 
ning  with  Gonzales,  besides  sweeping  the  country  of 
provisions,  live-stock,  and  forage. 

From  all  sides  Houston  was  bitterly  blamed  for 
retreating  ;  but,  realizing  as  no  other  could  the  folly 
of  attempting  a  stand  under  the  circumstances,  he 
steadily  pursued  his  own  policy,  held  no  councils, 
and  silently  bided  his  time.  The  news  of  the  fall  of 
Goliad  saddened  him,  but  in  no  way  altered  his  plans, 
for  he  had  foreseen  that  it  was  inevitable. 

When,  two  weeks  later,  one  who  had  escaped  as 
by  a  miracle  brought  tidings  of  the  cold-blooded 
massacre  of  prisoners,  whose  lives  and  liberties  had 
been  solemnly  guaranteed,  the  great  heart  of  the 
leader  seemed  like  to  burst  with  grief  and  rage. 
The  effect  on  his  men  was  to  turn  them  into  demons 
athirst  for  vengeance,  and  he  promised  them  that 
their  opportunity  should  not  be  long  delayed. 

Upon  the  Hardens  the  blow  fell  with  a  crushing 
weight,  for  the  messenger  replied  to  their  anxious 
queries,  that  Rex  was  certainly  among  the  murdered. 
He  knew  him  by  the  lone-star  badge  embroidered  on 
his  sombrero.  It  was  the  only  one  in  Goliad,  and 
he  had  seen  its  wearer  fall.  Yes,  there  could  be  no 
mistake  about  it,  their  Rex  —  the  splendid  fearless 


A  MASSACRE   FROM   WHICH  TWO   ESCAPE        307 

boy,  who  was  all  in  all  to  them  —  had  been  sacrificed 
for  Texas,  and  they  felt  that  they  had,  indeed,  given 
her  their  best. 

Until  now  Nelita  Veramendi,  with  her  piquant 
beauty  and  unfailing  cheerfulness,  had  been  the 
very  life  of  that  gloomy  retreat ;  never  complain 
ing,  always  helpful,  and  full  of  bright  prophecies 
for  the  future.  From  earliest  childhood  she  had 
regarded  Rex  Harden  as  a  well-loved  brother,  but 
at  the  news  of  his  death  she  stared  for  a  moment 
incredulous,  and  then  sank  like  one  who  has  received 
a  mortal  wound. 

That  the  cruel  massacre  of  helpless  prisoners  had 
taken  place  was  true  ;  but  he  who  carried  its  tid 
ings  to  Houston's  camp  was  mistaken  when  he  named 
Rex  Harden  as  among  its  victims.  Santa  Anna  had 
received  news  of  the  fall  of  Goliad  and  the  victory 
of  Coletto  while  at  Gonzales,  and  when  he  heard  of 
the  terms  granted  to  the  vanquished,  his  face  grew 
black  as  night.  Seizing  a  pen,  he  dashed  off  a  few 
words,  enclosed  them  in  a  sealed  envelope,  and 
looked  about  him  for  a  trusty  messenger.  Florio 
Veramendi  had  that  day  arrived  from  Mexico  with 
despatches  from  the  Minister  of  War,  and  was  in 
the  President's  tent  awaiting  instructions.  To  him, 
then,  Santa  Anna  said  harshly  : 

"  Carry  this  order  with  all  speed  to  General 
Urrea  at  Goliad.  Tell  him  to  execute  it  instantly, 
and  to  the  letter." 


308  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

So  Florio  departed;  and,  taking  an  escort  of 
twenty  mounted  men,  rode  in  haste  to  Goliad,  which 
place  he  reached  during  the  second  night.  On  the 
weary  journey  he  wondered  much  concerning  the 
nature  of  the  urgent  message  he  was  bearing,  and 
when  General  Urrea  opened  it,  he  was  startled  by 
the  expression  of  horror  that  flitted  across  the  man's 
face.  The  trained  soldier  was,  however,  able  to  sup 
press  his  feelings ;  and,  without  a  word  of  explana 
tion,  merely  said : 

"  Very  well,  sir.  His  Excellency's  order  shall  be 
obeyed,  and  you  may  retire." 

Thus  dismissed,  Florio  joined  certain  young  offi 
cers  of  his  acquaintance,  from  whom  he  learned  all 
that  had  happened  since  their  advance  upon  Goliad. 
Then  he  sought  the  rest  he  had  so  well  earned,  and 
slept  until  morning.  So  the  infamous  order  he  had 
brought  was  in  the  very  process  of  being  carried  out 
before  he  learned  of  its  nature.  His  informant  had 
just  left  him  horror-stricken  at  the  merciless  perfidy 
of  the  man  whom  he  owned  as  master,  when  his 
friend  Rex  Harden,  whom  he  had  no  idea  was  in 
Goliad,  appeared  upon  the  scene. 

The  latter  was  no  sooner  convinced  of  the  truth 
of  Florio's  words,  than  he  conceived  a  wild  idea  of 
gaining  the  nearest  column  of  prisoners  in  time  to 
warn  them  of  their  impending  fate,  and  join  them  in  a 
death  grapple  for  vengeance  with  their  executioners. 

Although   he   ran    like    one   possessed,    and   was 


A  MASSACRE   FROM   WHICH  TWO   ESCAPE        309 

allowed  to  pass  the  sentries  on  account  of  his  hos 
pital  uniform,  he  only  reached  the  scene  of  the 
tragedy  in  time  to  see  it  enacted.  As  he  gained 
sight  of  the  column,  the  prisoners  were  halted  in  a 
double  line  facing  the  river.  Ten  paces  behind  them 
stood  the  three  hundred  Mexican  troops  who  acted 
as  guards,  with  their  muskets  aimed  at  the  still  un 
suspecting  prisoners.  At  that  moment  one  of  the 
latter  turned  his  head,  and  instantly  realized  what 
was  about  to  happen. 

"  They  are  going  to  shoot  us,  boys  !  "  he  screamed, 
and  had  barely  uttered  the  words  when  a  sheet  of 
flame  leaped  from  the  long  line  of  muskets.  At  that 
fire  one  hundred  men  fell  dead  or  dying.  The  terri 
fied  survivors  rushed  madly  toward  the  river,  and 
after  them  leaped  the  Mexicans,  yelling  like  demons, 
firing  as  fast  as  they  could  reload,  and  stabbing  with 
their  bayonets  those  whom  they  overtook.  Only  a 
few  of  the  Americans  gained  the  river  bank,  while 
not  more  than  one  in  four  of  those  who  leaped  into 
its  current,  escaped  the  rain  of  bullets  that  beat  the  • 
clear  waters  into  foam,  and  reached  the  other  side. 

All  this  happened  so  quickly  that  Rex,  standing 
horror-stricken,  and  temporarily  unnoticed,  Avas  for 
a  moment  incapable  of  thought  or  action.  Then  of 
a  sudden  he  knew  that  only  by  desperate  effort 
could  he  avert  from  himself  the  awful  fate  that  had 
just  overtaken  his  recent  comrades. 

Thus  thinking,  he   sprang  forward  as  though  to 


310  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

join  the  yelling  savages  who  were  chasing,  shooting, 
and  stabbing  the  defenceless  fugitives.  With  them 
he  screamed: 

"  Death  to  the  gringos!      Kill  the  heretics!  " 

In  the  assumed  ardor  of  his  chase,  he  did  not 
pause  on  reaching  the  river  bank,  but,  leaping  far  out 
into  the  water,  swam  after  the  most  laggard  of 
those  who  had  thus  far  escaped,  as  though  bent  on 
his  destruction.  The  Mexicans  on  the  bank  yelled 
with  delight  as  they  saw  him  gain  on  the  fugitive, 
and,  misled  by  his  uniform  into  believing  him  one  of 
themselves,  cheered  him  on  to  greater  exertions. 

As  the  swimmer  whom  he  was  following  gained 
the  opposite  shore  only  a  few  feet  in  advance,  and 
started  to  climb  the  steep  bank,  exhaustion  or  terror 
overcame  him,  and  with  a  despairing  cry  he  slipped 
back  into  the  water.  At  this  the  Mexicans  screamed 
with  derisive  laughter,  but  in  another  moment  their 
tone  was  changed  to  one  of  angry  amazement.  In 
stead  of  forcing  his  victim  beneath  the  surface  and 
drowning  him,  as  they  fully  expected  the  stout 
swimmer  wearing  their  uniform  would  do,  he  was 
actually  assisting  the  hated  Americano  to  climb  the 
bank. 

For  a  moment  they  gazed  incredulous  and  then, 
realizing  that  they  had  been  tricked,  began  hastily 
to  reload  their  empty  guns.  Two  or  three  shots 
were  fired  without  effect;  and  then,  to  their  chagrin, 
he  whom  they  had  supposed  to  be  their  friend 


A  MASSACRE   FROM   WHICH   TWO   ESCAPE        311 

turned  and  taunted  them  with  a  defiant  gesture, 
while  his  companion  disappeared  in  the  thick  timber, 

In  another  instant  the  young  Texan  followed,  and, 
gaining  the  shelter  of  the  trees,  found  him  whom  he 
had  saved  lying  panting  on  the  ground.  Until  then 
Rex  had  not  seen  his  face  nor  given  a  thought  to  his 
identity.  Now,  to  his  joyful  amazement,  he  dis 
covered  him  to  be  the  very  lad  whose  white  badge 
of  safety  he  had  assumed  the  night  before,  and  whom 
he  had  believed  to  have  thus  been  sent  to  his  death. 

"  Fenno!     Can  it  be  possible  ?  "  he  cried. 

At  his  words  the  other  opened  his  eyes  and  strug 
gled  to  his  feet,  gazing  at  Rex  as  though  he  had  been 
a  ghost. 

44  Is  it  truly  you,  Harden?  Have  we  both  really 
escaped  from  that  hell  of  murder,  or  is  it  all  a  dread 
ful  dream  from  which  I  am  not  yet  awaked  ?  "  he 
asked.  At  the  same  time  he  shivered  and  glanced 
about  him  fearfully. 

"It  is  no  dream,  old  man,  but  an  awful  reality 
from  which,  thank  God,  we  have  both  escaped.  But 
there  is  no  time  for  talking  ;  we  are  still  surrounded 
by  deadly  perils.  So  brace  up,  and  come  along." 

Thus  saying,  Rex  started  through  the  timber, 
which  at  that  point  was  but  a  narrow  belt,  and 
Fenno  followed  him.  They  were  about  to  emerge 
from  it,  when  the  former  halted  and  sank  to  the 
ground,  pulling  his  companion  with  him. 

Not  fifty  yards  away,  on  the  open  prairie,  was  a 


312  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

troop  of  Mexican  lancers,  evidently  stationed  at  that 
point  to  cut  off  the  escape  of  any  fugitives.  Behind 
them  the  lads  could  hear  their  merciless  pursuers 
crossing  the  river.  Their  position  was  certainly  a 
desperate  one,  while,  to  add  to  its  terrors,  several 
Americans  who,  like  themselves,  had  swum  the  river 
in, safety,  just  then  emerged  from  the  wood  in  blind 
flight,  and  were  instantly  speared  to  death  by  the 
waiting  lancers. 

After  making  certain  that  their  victims  were  dead, 
and  robbing  their  bodies  of  whatever  was  worth  tak 
ing,  the  lancers  remounted  and  dashed  away  as 
though  they  had  sighted  other  fugitives.  At  the 
same  time,  the  shouts  of  the  pursuing  Mexicans  who 
had  crossed  the  river  drew  ominously  near. 

"  Come,"  whispered  Rex,  "  we  must  run  for  it ! 
There  is  no  other  chance." 

So  the  two  broke  from  their  cover,  and,  nerved  by 
despair,  sped  like  the  wind  across  the  open.  They 
had  not  gone  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  a  backward 
glance  showed  the  lancers  to  be  returning  to  their 
original  position.  Flinging  themselves  to  the 
ground,  the  hunted  lads  lay  trembling,  and  only  par 
tially  concealed  by  the  brown  prairie  grasses. 

After  a  little  the  lancers  again  moved  away,  and 
the  two  fugitives  resumed  their  flight,  which  they 
maintained  until  they  reached  a  clump  of  chaparral 
in  which  Rex  said  they  would  hide  until  night. 

During  that  day  they  repeatedly  heard  sounds  of 


A  MASSACRE  FROM  WHICH  TWO  ESCAPE       313 

firing  and  saw  several  parties  of  Mexican  cavalry 
scouring  the  country;  by  which  signs  they  were  led 
to  believe  that  they  two  were  the  sole  survivors  of 
that  awful  massacre. 

Filled  as  they  were  with  grief,  rage,  and  appre 
hension,  our  lads  were  spared  a  knowledge  of  the 
further  horrors  even  then  taking  place  in  Goliad. 
There,  after  murdering  their  uninjured  prisoners, 
the  Mexicans  dragged  the  wounded  out  into  the 
courtyard  of  the  old  mission  and  butchered  them. 
Colonel  Fannin  was  the  last  to  be  put  to  death,  and 
he  met  his  fate  like  the  brave  soldier  he  was,  calmly 
facing  his  executioners  and  baring  his  own  breast 
to  receive  their  cowardly  bullets. 

Thus  was  closed  a  chapter  that,  for  perfidious 
treachery  and  inhuman  cruelty,  is  unsurpassed  in  all 
the  annals  of  American  history. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE   DARKEST   HOUR 

WITH  the  coming  of  night  Rex  and  Fenno,  some 
what  refreshed  by  their  rest,  set  forth  on  what  they 
believed  to  be  a  northeasterly  course.  They  dared 
not  strike  for  the  Rancho  Herrera,  or  even  toward 
Gonzales,  for  Rex  knew  that  Santa  Anna  was  march 
ing  to  the  eastward,  and  that  the  whole  country  in 
that  direction  would  swarm  with  Mexican  soldiers. 
By  going  directly  east  they  would  become  involved 
in  the  labyrinth  of  swamps  and  bayous  bordering 
the  coast ;  but  a  course  between  the  two  might  take 
them  to  the  Texas  army  on  the  Colorado. 

The  night  was  intensely  dark,  and  they  had  not  so 
much  as  a  star  to  guide  their  steps.  Still  they 
pushed  sturdily  on  until  daylight,  when  they  stopped 
to  rest  in  the  timber  bordering  a  small  stream.  Fenno 
was  so  wearied  that  he  begged  Rex  to  let  him  sleep 
there  all  day,  but  the  latter  declared  they  must  not 
think  of  halting  until  they  had  put  many  more  miles 
between  them  and  their  merciless  foes.  So  they 
forded  the  stream  in  icy  water  that  rose  above  their 
waists,  and  pushed  on  with  hardly  a  pause  until 

314 


THE   DARKEST   HOUR  315 

night,  when  they  came  again  to  a  narrow  but  deep 
and  rapid  stream. 

All  that  day  they  had  been  exposed  to  the  drizzle 
of  a  wet  norther  by  which  they  had  become 
thoroughly  soaked  and  chilled  to  the  bone.  They 
were  also  sick  and  trembling  with  the  weakness  of 
hunger.  They  had  seen  plenty  of  deer  that  day, 
and  could  now  hear  numbers  of  wild  turkeys  going 
to  roost  in  the  tall  timber  surrounding  them,  but  as 
neither  of  them  possessed  a  weapon  of  any  kind, 
both  deer  and  turkey  were  safe  so  far  as  they  were 
concerned. 

Rex  did  own  one  thing  fully  as  valuable  as  a  rifle, 
and  that  was  a  water-tight  fire  pouch,  containing 
flint,  steel,  and  tinder.  He  had  not  dared  light  a 
fire  up  to  this  moment,  and  would  not  have  done  so 
now,  but  that  poor  Fenno  was  shaking  so  violently 
with  the  cold,  and  pleaded  so  pitifully  for  one,  that 
he  could  not  refuse  him. 

"  All  right,  old  man,"  he  said  at  length.  "  I  sup 
pose  we  might  as  well  run  one  risk  as  another,  and 
it  does  seem  as  though  without  a  fire  we  should  die 
before  morning.  So  we'll  have  one  if  I  can  make  it. 
Only  let  us  cross  this  river  first  that  we  may  not 
have  it  to  do  in  the  morning  when  we  are  dry." 

Fenno  shuddered  at  the  idea  of  entering  the  black 
waters ;  but,  urged  on  by  Rex,  finally  did  so  with  a 
rush,  thinking  to  have  the  dreaded  task  over  with  as 
quickly  as  possible.  It  was  an  ill-advised  move- 


316  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

ment,  for  he  stumbled,  fell,  and  was  swept  away  by 
the  strong  current.  So  dark  had  the  night  already 
become,  that  it  was  full  half  an  hour  before  Rex, 
guided  by  his  faint  cries,  found  him  caught'  in  the 
overhanging  branches  of  a  tree,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
below,  and  dragged  him  ashore,  nearly  dead  with 
exhaustion,  chill,  and  fright. 

Now  a  fire  was  a  necessity,  and  the  young  Texan 
made  one  as  quickly  as  possible.  With  all  his  efforts, 
another  half-hour  had  elapsed  before  he  succeeded  in 
obtaining  a  blaze  from  the  wet  material  at  hand. 
While  he  was  thus  engaged,  Fenno,  shivering  and 
moaning,  did  not  speak  a  word ;  and  when,  by  the 
first  gleam  of  fire-light,  Rex  turned  to  look  at  his 
companion,  he  was  terrified  to  find  him  lying  with 
closed  eyes  and  bloodless  face,  in  a  sort  of  a  stupor. 
Dragging  the  poor  lad  close  to  the  fire,  and  pulling 
off  his  wet  garments,  Rex  rubbed  and  slapped  the 
almost  lifeless  body  for  an  hour  before  the  sluggish 
blood  began  again  to  circulate.  A  little  later 
Fenno  was  tossing  with  fever,  and  raving  of  the 
awful  scenes  he  had  so  lately  witnessed. 

All  night  long  he  passed  in  alternate  chill  and 
fever,  moaning  and  shaking  with  one,  or  tossing  and 
raving  with  the  other.  It  moved  Rex  to  tears  to 
hear  him  talk  of  his  far-away  home,  and  call  the 
dear  ones  left  in  it,  by  name.  Again  he  would 
break  into  a  fury  of  rage  against  the  wretches  who 
had  murdered  his  comrades.  The  same  train  of 


THE   DARKEST   HOUR  317 

thought  came  to  his  lucid  moments,  and  he  begged 
Rex  not  to  let  him  die  until  he  had  taken  vengeance 
upon  at  least  one  Mexican. 

The  coming  of  morning  found  both  lads  asleep, 
and  the  day  was  well  advanced  before  Rex  awoke. 
Seeing  that  Fenno  still  slept  heavily,  he  ventured  to 
leave  him,  while  he  went  to  explore  their  surround 
ings  as  well  as  to  search  for  food  and  shelter. 

He  had  not  gone  fifty  yards  before  he  found  a 
well-marked  road  running  parallel  to  the  stream  on 
which  they  were  camped.  Although  somewhat 
troubled  at  the  nearness  of  this  highway,  as  there 
was  no  one  to  be  seen  on  it  in  either  direction,  he 
ventured  to  follow  it  in  the  hope  of  finding  a  house. 

So  anxious  was  he  to  make  such  a  discovery  that 
he  walked  much  further  than  he  had  intended  on 
setting  out ;  but  was  thinking  of  turning  back,  when 
his  ear  caught  a  distant  rattle  of  drums  and  the  faint 
notes  of  a  bugle  call.  He  wanted  to  run,  but,  deter 
mined  to  know  whence  the  ominous  sounds  came,  he 
forced  himself  to  proceed  to  a  bit  of  rising  ground, 
from  which  he  hoped  for  a  wider  survey.  To  his 
amazement,  he  saw,  not  more  than  two  miles  away, 
a  town.  He  could  not  believe  the  evidence  of  his 
eyes,  and  rubbing  them  he  looked  again.  Then  his 
heart  sank  like  lead,  and  he  groaned  aloud,  for  not 
only  did  he  see  a  town,  but  he  recognized  it  to  be 
Goliad.  He  tried  to  think  himself  mistaken ;  but 
could  not,  for  the  whole  storm-blurred  landscape 


318  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

was  too  terribly  familiar.  So  in  all  their  sorrowful 
tramping  he  and  Fenno  had  only  moved  in  a  circle, 
and  were  again  almost  at  the  awful  starting-point  of 
their  despairing  journey. 

So  disheartening  was  this  discovery  that  for  a  mo 
ment  Rex  was  ready  to  give  up  the  struggle  and 
resign  himself  to  the  fate  that  appeared  inevitable. 
Only  a  thought  of  the  helpless  lad  awaiting  him 
caused  him  to  think  better  of  such  a  cowardly  re 
solve,  and  begin  to  retrace  his  steps.  He  had  not 
gone  more  than  half-way  back  when  he  caught  a 
distant  glimpse  of  approaching  figures.  Leaping  to 
one  side,  he  threw  himself  down  in  the  tall  grass, 
through  which  he  crawled  until  the  sound  of  ap 
proaching  voices  warned  him  to  lie  low. 

The  new-comers  were  half  a  dozen  Mexican  foot- 
soldiers  straggling  along  the  road  toward  Goliad,  and 
Rex,  peering  through  the  grasses,  saw  that  while  two 
of  them  supported  a  comrade  who  was  covered  with 
blood  and  evidently  severely  wounded,  the  other 
three  carried  seven  muskets  between  them.  Thus 
one  soldier  was  missing  and  unaccounted  for. 

When  the  squad  had  passed  out  of  sight,  Rex  rose 
and  hastened  forward,  apprehensive  that  they  might 
have  seen  the  fire  he  had  left  burning,  and  so  dis 
covered  his  helpless  comrade.  So  fearful  did  he  be 
come  of  this,  that  he  ran  the  last  mile  of  the  way 
as  though  in  a  race  with  death.  When  he  at  length 
reached  the  place  from  which  he  had  set  forth,  he 


THE   DARKEST   HOUR  319 

found  that  he  had  indeed  been  racing  with  death,  and 
that  the  latter  had  won  the  victory. 

Close  beside  the  fire  lay  Fenno,  pierced  with  a 
dozen  wounds  and  dead.  His  rigid  fingers  were 
clutched  about  a  bloody  bayonet,  and  near  him  lay 
a  Mexican  soldier  of  similar  uniform  to  those  who 
had  just  passed,  also  dead.  On  all  sides  were  evi 
dences  of  the  struggle  in  which  the  lad  from  Ohio 
had  taken  that  vengeance  for  which  he  had  prayed, 
before  yielding  up  his  own  life. 

The  whole  story  of  the  tragedy  was  so  plainly 
written  that  Rex  could  see  its  every  detail,  and  for 
a  while  he  could  only  sit  and  stare  at  the  outspread 
page.  Birds  sang  above  him,  squirrels  raced  and 
chattered  on  all  sides,  and  the  river  flowed  placidly 
close  at  hand,  but  he  heeded  none  of  these  things 
and  saw  only  his  dead  comrade.  His  first  feelings 
were  of  horror,  loneliness,  and  utter  despair.  Then 
came  a  bitter  rage  and  a  longing  for  revenge. 

"  I  will  live  !  "  he  cried,  springing  to  his  feet.  "  I 
will  live,  if  only  to  fight  those  wretches  once  more, 
even  if  I  shall  die  fighting  as  this  poor,  brave  fellow 
has  done.  Yes,  I  will !  and  I  will  make  my  way  to 
Houston's  army.  First,  though,  I  must  bury  this 
poor  body  beyond  reach  of  buzzards  and  wolves." 

With  the  bayonet  that,  in  his  final  struggle,  Fenno 
had  wrested  from  his  murderer,  and  with  which  he 
had  avenged  his  own  fate,  Rex  now  laboriously  dug 
a  grave  beside  the  peaceful  river.  The  task  occupied 


320  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

him  for  several  hours,  and  as  the  body  of  him  who 
had  given  up  his  life  for  Texas  was  laid  to  rest  in 
her  soil,  the  sun  was  near  his  setting.  It  had  broken 
from  the  clouds  in  time  for  a  last  look  at  the  dead, 
and  to  direct  the  living  on  his  course. 

When  his  sad  duty  was  finally  completed,  Rex  again 
crossed  the  river,  carrying  with  him  the  bayonet  that 
killed,  avenged,  and  buried  poor  Fenno.  Then,  guided 
by  the  lone  star  of  evening  that  shone  low  in  the 
west,  our  young  Texan  again  set  forth  to  traverse 
the  wide  wilderness  lying  between  him  and  safety. 

Two  days  later,  gaunt,  famished,  footsore,  and  in 
the  last  stages  of  exhaustion,  he  stood  beside  the 
swollen  Guadalupe  and  gazed  despairingly  at  its 
swiftly  rolling  flood.  With  his  ordinary  strength 
he  could  easily  swim  it,  but  in  his  present  state  of 
weakness  he  knew  the  attempt  would  be  suicidal. 
In  four  days  he  had  not  tasted  food  save  a  few 
grass  seeds  and  leaf  buds. 

As  he  sat  gloomily  on  the  bank,  concealed  by  an 
undergrowth,  and  wondering  if  the  end  of  all  things 
had  indeed  come  for  him,  a  slight  sound  attracted 
his  attention.  Glancing  in  that  direction,  he  saw 
three  deer  walk  daintily  down  to  the  water's  edge, 
not  two  hundred  feet  from  him.  Oh,  for  a  rifle, 
or  a  gun  of  any  kind  !  And  then  —  venison  steaks 
for  supper ! 

"  But  I  might  as  well  wish  for  the  moon,"  thought 
the  starving  lad  bitterly. 


THE   DAE  REST   HOUR  321 

The  sight  of  those  deer  was  so  tantalizing,  that  he 
was  about  to  hurl  a  chunk  of  wood  at  them,  and  so 
dispel  it,  when  his  arm  was  arrested  by  a  slight 
movement  on  the  limb  of  a  tree  overreaching  the 
place  where  they  stood.  He  had  just  made  out 
that  it  was  caused  by  the  tip  of  a  waving  tail,  when, 
with  a  mighty  spring,  a  great  tawny  body  launched 
itself  through  the  air  and  lighted  on  the  back  of  one 
of  the  unsuspecting  deer.  Like  a  flash  the  others 
were  gone,  and  a  puma  or  Mexican  lion  was  begin 
ning  to  make  his  supper  off  the  one  he  had  stricken. 

Rex  watched  him  enviously  and  anxiously.  "  Will 
he  eat  it  all  ?  "  he  asked  himself.  "  Oh,  if  he  would 
only  go  away,  leaving  just  a  little  of  that  venison! " 
And  the  puma  did  just  as  the  famished  lad  wished 
he  would.  In  half  an  hour  his  appetite  appeared 
to  be  satisfied,  and  a  goodly  portion  of  the  deer  still 
remained.  This  he  dragged  a  short  distance  and 
carefully  concealed  beneath  a  pile  of  branches,  sticks, 
and  leaves,  as  a  dog  would  hide  a  bone.  Then, 
taking  a  drink  from  the  river,  and  making  a  long, 
slow  survey  of  his  surroundings,  the  powerful  animal 
walked  leisurely  up  the  bank  and  disappeared. 

Two  minutes  later,  regardless  of  whether  the  great 
cat  were  watching  him  or  not,  Rex  was  robbing  his 
larder.  That  night  he  ate  venison  steaks  hacked  off 
with  a  bayonet,  and  broiled  over  coals,  until  it  did 
not  seem  as  though  he  should  ever  care  to  eat 
another  mouthful  of  meat  so  long  as  he  lived. 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII 

DESPAIR   AND   HAPPINESS 

AFTER  that  Heaven-sent  supper,  Rex  slept  dream- 
lessly  beside  his  smouldering  fire  until  daylight,  when 
he  awoke  feeling  happier  and  stronger  than  at  any 
time  since  leaving  Goliad.  Now  he  wondered  if  the 
puma  had  come  back  to  renew  his  feast  during  the 
night,  and  trembled  to  think  how  easily  the  great 
brute  might  have  punished  him  for  his  theft  if  it 
had  been  discovered.  So  uneasy  was  he  at  this 
thought,  that  he  decided  not  to  remain  within  reach 
of  punishment  any  longer ;  but  to  place  the  Guada- 
lupe  between  him  and  danger  as  quickly  as  possible. 
Lashing  his  meat,  together  with  his  clothing,  to  a 
floating  log,  and  pushing  this  before  him,  he  swam 
the  river  in  safety  ;  but  at  the  expense  of  a  serious 
loss.  This  was  his  bayonet,  which  he  had  sharpened 
to  a  knife-like  edge,  and  with  which  he  would  not 
have  parted  for  many  times  its  weight  in  gold.  But 
in  some  way  it  slipped  from  the  clothing  in  which 
he  had  wrapped  it,  and  now  only  the  Guadalupe 
knew  where  it  lay. 

While  greatly  cast  down  by  this  loss,  and  in  spite 
of  his  enormous  supper  of  the  evening  before,  Rex 

322 


DESPAIR  AND   HAPPINESS  323 

realized  that  his  appetite  was  as  ravenous  as  ever ; 
and  so,  as  soon  as  he  gained  the  opposite  bank,  he 
set  about  preparing  another  meal.  While  thus  en 
gaged  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  a  succes 
sion  of  angry  roarings  from  the  timber  he  had  so 
recently  left,  that  caused  him  to  smile  at  his  own 
cleverness. 

After  this  Rex  made  two  more  good  meals  from  the 
puma's  venison,  and  then  the  remainder  was  stolen 
from  close  beside  him  as  he  slept,  so  skilfully  that 
he  never  knew  what  animal  took  it.  However,  what 
he  had  eaten  gave  him  strength  to  reach  the  Lavaca 
River,  which  lay  mid-way  between  the  Guadalupe 
and  the  Colorado  where  he  hoped  to  find  his  friends. 
But  now  he  was  again  very  hungry,  and  so  nearly 
barefooted  that  his  feet  were  bleeding  from  innu 
merable  cuts  and  bruises ;  unless  he  could  soon  find 
a  pair  of  boots  or  something  to  take  their  place,  it 
was  evident  that  his  journey  was  nearly  ended. 

As  he  hobbled  painfully  along  the  edge  of  the 
dense  timber  of  the  river  bottom,  which  at  this  place 
was  miles  in  width,  seeking  for  some  road  or  trail 
that  should  penetrate  it,  he  caught  sight  of  a  house, 
the  very  first  he  had  seen  in  all  his  wanderings.  It 
was  a  small  structure  of  logs,  standing  in  a  little 
prairie  bay  that  made  into  the  timber,  and  was 
enclosed  by  it  on  three  sides.  After  cautiously 
watching  this  house  for  a  while  from  the  conceal 
ment  of  the  timber,  and  seeing  no  evidence  of 


324  WITH   CROCKETT   AND   BOWIE 

human  presence,  Rex  finally  hobbled  up  to  its  door 
and  entered.  Not  only  was  it  deserted,  but  every 
thing  movable  in  it  had  been  so  wantonly  destroyed 
that  the  floor  was  littered  with  broken  furniture, 
smashed  crockery,  and  ripped  bedding.  There  was 
no  sign  of  food,  nor  could  our  lad  find  a  scrap  of 
leather  with  which  to  resole  his  worn-out  boots. 

Still  the  outlook  was  not  wholly  gloomy,  for  in  a 
crib  outside  he  found  half  a  dozen  ears  of  corn, 
which  he  speedily  converted  into  meal  by  means  of  a 
steel  mill  that  was  nailed  to  a  tree  in  the  yard. 
Returning  to  the  house  with  his  precious  meal  and 
building  a  fire  in  one  of  the  chimneys,  he  soon  had 
prepared  that  simplest  of  all  bread  forms,  an  "ash 
cake,"  which,  unsalted  and  unleavened  as  it  was,  yet 
tasted  a  little  better  than  anything  he  had  ever  eaten 
except  the  venison  of  the  Guadalupe. 

After  disposing  of  this  extremely  frugal  supper, 
the  tired  lad  collected  a  heap  of  tattered  bedding, 
and  lying  down  on  it,  only  kept  awake  long  enough 
to  reflect  how  thoroughly  comfortable  he  was  and 
how  he  wished  he  might  look  forward  to  as  good  a 
bed  every  night.  Then  he  fell  asleep. 

When  next  he  wakened  it  was  with  a  start  and  at 
sound  of  gruff  voices.  Daylight  was  streaming  in  at 
the  open  door  and  windows,  and  standing  beside 
him,  looking  at  him  curiously,  were  two  strapping 
Mexicans  in  the  dress  of  rancheros. 

"  Ho  !     Gringo !  "  said  one. 


DESPAIR  AND  HAPPINESS  325 

"Probably  escaped  from  Goliad,"  remarked  the 
other. 

"  And  therefore  worth  money  if  we  shall  take  him 
back,  for  a  reward  is  offered." 

"  As  it  is  also  the  place  to  which  we  are  going,  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  letting  him  live  till  we  get  there." 

"  Certainly  no  harm,  unless  he  should  escape." 

"  We  will  attend  to  that.  Stand  up,  gringo  ! 
Quickly  !  So  !  " 

With  this,  the  speaker  gave  our  lad  a  kick  that 
assured  him  he  was  not  dreaming,  and  brought  him 
stiffly  to  his  feet.  There  was  not  the  slightest 
chance  for  resistance,  and  filled  with  despair  he  was 
led  outside,  where  two  other  Mexicans  were  guard 
ing  a  small  herd  of  horses.  One  of  these  was 
caught  and  held  until  the  prisoner,  with  arms  pin 
ioned  behind  him,  could  be  securely  lashed  to  its  bare 
back.  Then  it  was  turned  loose  with  the  others, 
and  the  whole  cavallard  was  started  on  a  swinging 
lope  to  the  westward,  or  back  over  the  very  way 
Rex  had  just  come. 

Never  in  all  his  manifold  experiences  had  our  lad 
suffered  such  tortures  both  physical  and  mental  as 
fell  to  his  lot  that  day.  The  pains  that  shot  through 
every  joint  of  his  body  were  those  of  one  stretched 
upon  the  rack,  while  his  mind  was  filled  with  humili 
ation,  rage,  and  despair.  When  night  came,  he  was 
loosed  from  his  horse  on  the  bank  of  the  Guadalupe. 
He  slipped  to  the  ground  like  a  log,  while  his  brutal 


326  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

captors  jeered  at  his  sufferings,  and  told  him  they 
were  nothing  to  the  torments  he  would  endure  after 
he  had  been  shot.  They  still  did  not  wish  him  to 
die  just  yet,  so  they  loosed  his  bonds,  gave  him 
food  and  drink,  and  then  tied  him  securely  to  a  tree 
for  the  night. 

The  following  morning  he  was  again  bound  to  a 
barebacked  horse,  and  the  terrible  journey  was  re 
sumed.  Rex  thought  he  should  be  drowned  when 
the  horses  were  made  to  swim  the  river,  and  hoped 
he  would  be  ;  but  to  his  disappointment  he  was  not, 
though  it  very  nearly  happened.  By  the  time  he 
found  himself  on  the  western  bank  and  being  rapidly 
borne  through  the  timber,  his  body  had  become  par 
tially  numbed  by  long-continued  torture,  and  at 
intervals  he  lost  consciousness.  From  one  of  these 
unconscious  spells  he  was  aroused  by  a  confusion  of 
shots,  yells,  and  the  furious  galloping  of  horses. 
Then  all  was  once  more  a  blank. 

When  he  next  awoke  he  was  lying  on  the  ground, 
and  being  bathed  with  hot  water.  He  did  not  ache, 
and  it  was  so  pleasant  to  lie  still  that  for  some  time 
he  did  not  open  his  eyes.  When  he  did,  he  knew 
that  he  was  in  a  dream  and  not  really  awake  after 
all ;  for  he  saw  his  own  dear  Tawny  standing  only  a 
short  distance  away;  while  bending  anxiously  over 
him  was  Cochito,  the  young  Comanche  with  whom  at 
some  remote  period  he  had  contracted  a  friendship. 

Of  course  all  this  was  absurd,  for  Tawny  had  died 


DESPAIR   AND   HAPPINESS  327 

long  ago,  and  so  had  Cochito;  at  least  he  believed  he 
had,  though  he  was  not  quite  sure.  But  thinking 
was  too  hard  work,  especially  when  one  could  only 
think  foolish  thoughts  not  to  be  distinguished  from 
dreams ;  and  he  was  very  tired.  So  the  poor  lad, 
who  was  too  weak  and  weary  to  care  for  anything 
except  rest,  again  closed  his  eyes  and  fell  asleep. 

For  weariness  and  pain,  and  unhappiness  and  de 
spair,  there  is  no  restorer  and  comforter  to  equal 
sleep.  Thus  when  Rex  had  slept  for  a  day  and  a 
night,  he  awoke  strengthened  and  refreshed  in  body 
and  mind. 

Immediately  he  sat  up  and  looked  about  him. 
He  was  under  a  spreading  tree,  on  a  soft  bed  made 
of  Spanish  moss  overlaid  with  robes.  Not  far  away 
was  a  fire,  about  which  were  gathered  a  number  of 
Indians.  Beyond  them  a  herd  of  horses  was  feed 
ing.  At  his  first  movement  one  of  the  Indians  rose 
and  came  toward  him. 

It  was  Cochito,  who  said  in  Mexican,  "  It  is  good 
to  meet  my  white  brother  once  more,  and  to  see  that 
he  is  well." 

"Indeed,  it  is  very  good  to  see  you,  Cochito, 
though  I  can't  quite  make  out  how  it  has  come 
about.  You  see,  I  thought  I  was  dreaming,  and  in 
my  dreams  you  came  to  me  together  with  my  horse 
Tawny,  —  the  one,  you  know,  that  brought  you  to  me 
once  before.  But,  of  course,  that  couldn't  be  really, 
for  he  is  dead." 


328  WITH  CKOCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

For  answer  Cochito  only  smiled  and  breathed  a 
shrill  whistle,  the  very  one  that  Rex  had  formerly 
used  to  call  Tawny.  At  sound  of  it  a  horse  in  the 
distant  herd  threw  up  his  head ;  and,  when  it  was 
repeated,  he  came  swiftly  to  where  they  were. 

It  was  Tawny,  not  only  alive,  but  as  strong  and 
well  as  ever.  No  other  horse  in  Texas  had  so  free 
a  stride,  could  show  a  coat  of  such  satiny  gloss,  or 
mane  and  tail  of  such  admirable  texture.  Besides, 
no  other  would  have  answered  that  whistle,  or  thrust 
his  velvet  muzzle  into  Rex  Harden's  very  bosom  to 
be  petted. 

Flinging  his  arms  about  the  proud  neck,  and  bury 
ing  his  face  in  the  silken  mane,  Rex  almost  sobbed 
for  joy  ;  and  when  he  found  words  he  cried: 

"  Oh  Tawny  !  Tawny  !  I  never  expected  to  see 
you  again,  and  now  I  am  the  very  happiest  fellow  in 
all  Texas.  But,  Cochito,  how  does  it  happen  that 
you  and  he  are  here?  Where  did  you  find  him? 
I  can't  seem  to  understand  it  at  all." 

"  It  is  very  simple,"  replied  the  young  Indian, 
smiling.  "  I  found  him  more  than  a  moon  ago, 
wounded  on  a  prairie,  and  knew  him  for  the  horse  of 
my  white  brother.  So  I  cared  for  him  and  made 
him  well,  and  he  followed  me  because  of  the  whistle 
with  which  I  had  heard  my  brother  call  him.  When 
I  came  again  I  would  have  restored  him;  but  the 
lodge  of  my  brother  was  burned,  and  he  was  not 
there.  Then  with  my  comrades  I  gathered  many 


DESPAIR   AND   HAPPINESS  329 

horses  and  much  else  of  value.  With  these  we  were 
riding  once  more  to  the  lodges  of  our  own  people, 
when,  at  this  place,  we  met  my  brother  and  four  of 
his  enemies.  They  will  not  trouble  him  more,  but 
their  scalps  will  make  glad  the  hearts  of  the  Co- 
manches  who  dwell  by  the  Nueces." 

"  And  Tawny!  Am  I  to  have  him  back  again  ?  " 
cried  Rex. 

"  Why  not  ?    Is  he  not  the  horse  of  my  brother  ?  " 
"  Am  I  also  free  to  go  where  I  please  ?  " 
"  Could  one  be  the  brother  of  a  Comanche  warrior 
and  not  be  free  ?  " 

"  Cochito,  old  man,  you  are  one  of  the  very  finest 
fellows  I  ever  met.  I  am  proud  to  be  called  your 
brother,  and  to  call  you  brother.  For  this  day's 
work  I  shall  love  you  as  long  as  I  live." 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

CAPTURED   BY   A   FRIEND. 

ALL  that  day  Rex  rested  and  regained  strength, 
happy  in  gazing  at  his  beloved  horse,  whose  every 
movement  filled  him  with  joy,  and  in  talking  with 
Cochito,  whom  he  found  to  be  so  intelligent  that  a 
decided  respect  for  the  young  Indian  was  added  to 
his  feeling  of  friendship.  From  him  he  learned  that 
General  Houston  had  already  retreated  beyond  the 
Colorado,  and  would  probably  be  found  on  the 
Brazos,  while  Santa  Anna  was  sweeping  the  country 
with  his  armies. 

"  Why  is  it  so  ?  "  asked  Cochito.  "  Are  the  white 
men  cowards,  that  they  dare  not  stand  before  Los 
Mexicanos  ?  " 

"  Does  not  a  small  band  of  Comanche  warriors 
sometimes  run  from  a  strong  war-party  of  Lipans, 
until  they  have  led  them  into  an  ambush  where  they 
may  be  destroyed?"  asked  Rex. 

"  It  has  so  happened." 

"  In  this  case  it  is  the  same.  The  Texans  are 
few,  and  their  enemies  many.  So,  for  a  time,  the 
white  men  retreat;  but  at  the  proper  place  they  will 
turn  and  fight.  Then  let  my  brother  open  his  eyes, 

330 


CAPTURED  BY  A  FRIEND  331 

and  he  will  see  Mexicans  flying  over  the  prairie  like 
antelope  before  the  lobo  wolf." 

"If  my  brother  says  so,  then  will  it  come  to  pass, 
and  Cochito  will  remember  his  words." 

Bright  and  early  the  following  morning  was  the 
camp  of  rest  astir;  and  though  Rex  parted  with 
regret  from  the  young  Indian  who  had  proved  so 
true  a  friend,  he  was  impatient  to  be  off,  the  more  so 
that  he  was  to  ride  his  own  incomparable  Tawny. 
Besides  the  horse  saddled  and  bridled,  all  that  the 
Indians  could  give  him  were  provisions,  guns  being 
with  them  too  scarce  and  too  precious  to  be  spared. 
But  Rex  was  more  than  content ;  for,  with  Tawny, 
he  felt  that  he  could  travel  to  the  world's  end  and 
defy  pursuit. 

Cochito  watched  them  swim  the  Guadalupe,  and 
the  two  lads  waved  a  farewell  to  each  other  as  the 
dripping  stallion  scrambled  up  the  eastern  bank. 

Oh  !  how  glorious  was  the  ride  across  the  broad 
prairies  that  Rex  had  already  traversed  twice  in  sad 
ness  and  pain.  So  swiftly  were  the  miles  spurned 
by  Tawny's  flying  feet,  that  the  Lavaca  River  was 
reached  before  noon,  the  Navidad  was  crossed  a  few 
hours  later,  and  that  same  night  found  our  young 
Texan  camped  in  the  heavy  timber  bordering  the 
Colorado. 

He  had  just  finished  cooking  his  evening  meal,  and 
was  about  to  eat  it,  when  two  big,  black,  and  very 
ugly-looking  negroes  walked  into  the  circle  of  fire- 


332  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

light  and  informed  him  that  they  had  waited  quite 
long  enough  for  him  to  prepare  their  supper.  They 
also  ordered  him  to  cook  some  more  at  once. 

As  one  of  them  carried  a  gun  which  he  kept  con 
stantly  pointed  at  Rex,  the  latter  thought  best  to 
comply  with  their  demand.  So,  inwardly  fuming 
with  rage,  but  outwardly  calm,  he  again  set  to  work, 
while  they  took  turns  at  eating  and  threatening  him 
with  the  gun,  until  his  whole  slender  stock  of  food 
had  disappeared  down  their  black  throats. 

While  his  unwelcome  guests  ate,  they  informed 
him  that  General  Houston  had  been  driven  across 
the  Brazos,  that  Santa  Anna  was  "  gwine  run  him 
clar  outen  de  state,"  and  that  no  white  man  would 
ever  again  be  allowed  to  dwell  west  of  the  Sabine. 
This  news  Rex  received  in  contemptuous  silence, 
though  with  a  fear  that  part  of  it,  at  least,  might  be 
true. 

After  the  negroes  had  eaten  all  they  could,  or 
rather,  all  that  there  was  to  eat,  they  argued  as  to 
whether  they  should  kill  their  prisoner  or  not,  and 
finally  decided,  that  as  the  Mexicans  would  do  that 
very  soon  anyhow,  they  would  not  waste  good  pow 
der  on  him.  "  Same  time,  boy,"  said  one  of  them, 
u  we'se  gwine  take  dat  'ar  hoss  of  yourn." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Rex,  quietly,  "  if  you  insist 
upon  taking  him,  I  suppose  I  can't  help  myself. 
Please  don't  abuse  him,  though,  for  he  is  very  gentle, 
and  not  over  strong." 


CAPTURED   BY  A   FRIEND  333 

"  Yah,  yah  !  "  guffawed  the  negroes.  "  Oh  no,  sah, 
we  won't  'buse  de  hoss,  certainly  not,  only  jes'  ride 
him  to  def,  an'  den  leav'  him  go  :  dat's  all." 

With  this,  one  of  them  approached  Tawny,  who 
was  quietly  feeding  near  by,  caught  up  the  trailing 
picket  rope,  and  gave  it  a  yank. 

The  stallion  uttered  a  scream  of  rage,  sprang  at 
the  man,  knocked  him  down,  and  struck  furiously  at 
him  with  his  fore  feet.  The  attention  of  the  other 
negro  being  thus  attracted  from  Rex,  the  young 
Texan  leaped  forward,  snatched  away  his  gun,  ran 
back  a  few  paces,  and  pointing  it  at  his  head  cried : 

"  Down  on  your  knees,  you  black  scoundrel,  or  I 
will  kill  you  !  " 

Instead  of  obeying,  the  negro  advanced  so  threat 
eningly  toward  the  lad,  that  the  latter  pulled  the 
trigger.  There  was  no  report,  and  with  a  fiendish 
laugh  the  black  bounded  forward  holding  a  knife  in 
his  uplifted  hand. 

At  that  moment  Tawny  was  ready  for  another 
victim ;  and,  instead  of  meeting  a  defenceless  boy, 
the  negro  was  confronted  by  a  raging  demon,  before 
whose  onset  he  was  as  helpless  as  a  child.  His  up 
lifted  arm  was  seized  and  crushed  between  the  ani 
mal's  powerful  teeth  ;  and,  in  another  instant,  he  too 
was  flung  aside  to  lie  as  motionless  as  his  compan 
ion. 

Then  Tawny,  still  quivering  from  excitement,  with 
head  and  tail  uplifted,  stepped  proudly  over  to  his 


334  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

young  master,  with  an  inquiring  air  as  though  to  ask 
"  Are  there  any  more  ?  " 

"  You  are  a  noble  fighter,  old  fellow,"  cried  Rex, 
passing  an  arm  across  the  horse's  neck  and  petting 
him,  "  and  I  am  mighty  glad  that  you  are  my  friend 
instead  of  an  enemy." 

An  examination  of  the  gun  that  had  first  intimi 
dated,  and  then  failed  him,  disclosed  the  fact  that  it 
was  not  only  unloaded,  but  broken  and  worthless. 
So  Rex  threw  it  into  the  river.  Then  satisfying 
himself  that  neither  of  the  negroes  was  dead,  and 
having  no  desire  for  further  dealings  with  them, 
he  mounted  Tawny,  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
light  of  the  newly  risen  moon,  started  to  cross  the 
Colorado. 

Although  the  western  bank  and  the  broad  surface 
of  the  river  were  flooded  with  light  almost  as  bright 
as  day,  the  eastern  bank  was  still  in  blackest  shadow. 
Thus  while  Rex  was  plainly  visible  to  several  pairs 
of  eyes  that  watched  him  from  the  shore  he  was  ap 
proaching,  he  was  unsuspicious  of  a  human  presence, 
until  as  Tawny  was  in  the  act  of  leaving  the  water, 
his  bridle  was  seized  from  both  sides,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  harsh  voice,  accompanied  by  the  ominous  click 
of  a  pistol,  ordered  the  young  rider  to  dismount  and 
surrender. 

"  Out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire,"  groaned 
Rex,  as  he  reluctantly  obeyed,  for  the  command  had 
been  given  in  Mexican,  and  he  realized  that  he  was 


CAPTURED  BY  A  FRIEND  335 

again  occupying  the  now  familiar  position  of  a  pris 
oner  in  the  hands  of  a  pitiless  enemy. 

He  was  conducted  up  the  river  far  enough  to  over 
come  the  distance  he  and  Tawny  had  drifted  down 
stream  in  crossing,  and  then  into  a  gully  through 
which  a  red  clay  road,  ankle  deep  with  mud,  led  to 
the  top  of  the  bluffs.  Just  back  of  these  was  a 
cluster  of  houses,  to  one  of  which  our  lad  was  taken. 
Without  formality  he  was  ushered  into  a  lighted  room 
containing  a  Mexican  officer,  who  was  seated  at  a 
table,  with  his  back  to  the  door,  eating  supper. 

"  A  prisoner,  Senor  Teniente,"  announced  one  of 
the  two  men  who  held  Rex  by  the  arms. 

At  this  the  officer  partially  turned  his  head,  and 
revealed  the  familiar  features  of  Florio  Veramendi. 

In  the  water-soaked,  mud-bespattered,  tattered, 
and  long-haired  youth  of  whom  he  caught  only  a 
glimpse,  Florio  did  not  recognize  the  friend  of  his 
boyhood,  and  asked  carelessly: 

"  What  sort  of  a  prisoner  ?  " 

"  An  Americano,  senor." 

"  A  soldier  ?  " 

"It  is  doubtful." 

"What  is  his  name?" 

"Your  name,  gringo,  announce  it,"  said  the  sol 
dier  in  a  low  tone  to  Rex,  and  the  latter  answered  in 
a  clear  voice: 

"  Lieutenant  Rector  Harden,  of  the  Texas  army." 

"  Holy  Mother  !  "  cried  Florio,  springing  from  his 


336  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

chair.  Then  recalling  his  position,  he  added  in  a 
calmer  tone  :  "  This  is  a  most  important  capture, 
sergeant,  for  which  you  deserve  and  shall  receive 
great  credit.  Now,  however,  you  may  retire  and 
leave  the  prisoner  with  me,  for  I  must  question  him 
in  private.  You  have  taken  the  precaution  to  see 
that  he  is  unarmed  ?  " 

"I  have,  Teniente." 

"  Very  well,  then,  I  can  take  care  of  him,"  — 
here  Florio  laid  a  hand  significantly  on  his  sword,  — 
"  though  you  will,  of  course,  station  a  sentry  within 
call." 

"  I  understand,  Teniente,"  replied  the  sergeant, 
saluting  and  marching  stiffly  from  the  room,  followed 
by  the  other  soldier. 

The  moment  the  door  closed,  and  it  was  certain 
that  the  room  was  not  exposed  to  observation  from 
the  outside,  Florio's  manner  changed  as  by  magic. 
"With  a  beaming  face  he  sprang  forward,  and  seized 
his  prisoner's  hand. 

"  My  dear,  dear  Rex  !  How  can  I  ever  say  how 
glad  I  am  to  see  you  ?  How  can  I  express  my 
thankfulness  that  you  should  come  this  night  of  all 
nights,  the  only  one  on  which  I  happen  to  be  in  com 
mand  of  the  river  guard?  This,  too,  when  I 
believed  you  to  have  been  killed  at  Goliad,  through 
an  infamous  order  delivered  by  my  hand.  Imagine 
what  I  have  suffered  !  Imagine  my  position  !  With 
your  blood  on  my  head,  I  could  never  again  face 


CAPTURED   BY  A   FRIEND  337 

your  family  or  my  own.  With  my  hatred  of  Santa 
Anna  for  that  act  of  devilish  perfidy,  I  could  no 
longer  serve  him.  I  handed  my  resignation  to 
General  Urrea  on  the  day  that  I  last  saw  you.  He 
would  not  accept  it,  but  ordered  me  to  report  in 
person  to  the  President.  This  I  determined  never 
to  do,  but  rather  to  desert,  since  I  was  not  allowed 
to  resign.  For  that  purpose  I  strove  to  get  as 
close  to  the  Texan  army  as  possible,  and  came  to 
this  point,  where  Filisola  ordered  me  to  remain  with 
Captain  Gregorio,  who  commands  the  river  guard. 

"  Unable  to  form  any  plan,  I  obeyed  ;  and  now,  see 
how  kindly  the  saints  have  directed  my  steps.  Gre 
gorio  was  summoned  to  the  Brazos,  where  the  army 
is  crossing,  but  will  return  on  the  morrow.  In  the 
meantime  we  will  plan  together  a  flight,  for  now 
that  I  can  again  look  your  father  and  mother  and 
sweet  sister  in  the  face,  I  am  no  longer  a  Mexican, 
but  one  devoted  soul  and  body  to  the  cause  of  Texas. 
So,  while  we  have  time,  let  us  consult.  But,  dear 
boy,  you  look  famished.  Have  you  supped?  No? 
Sit  down,  and  as  you  eat,  tell  me  of  the  miracle  by 
which  you  escaped  on  that  dreadful  day.  Oh  !  the 
horror  of  that  time  !  the  happiness  of  this  ! " 

An  hour  later  the  sergeant  was  summoned  and 
told  that,  on  account  of  important  disclosures  made 
by  the  prisoner,  the  lieutenant  had  determined  to 
escort  him  in  person  to  the  Brazos,  leaving  him  — 
the  sergeant  —  in  command  of  the  river  guard  for 


338  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

that  night.  "  You  will  therefore  have  my  horse  and 
the  horse  of  the  prisoner  at  the  door  in  five  minutes, 
besides  detailing  one  man  to  accompany  me,"  ordered 
Florio. 

Within  five  minutes  everything  was  in  readiness, 
and  when  Rex  was  mounted  on  Tawny,  Florio  bade 
the  soldiers  pinion  his  arms  securely  behind  him. 
Then  they  set  forth,  the  lieutenant  and  the  soldier 
riding  on  either  side  of  the  prisoner  and  holding 
straps  attached  to  Tawny's  bridle. 

They  had  thus  gone  a  mile  when  the  lieutenant 
suddenly  discovered  that  he  had  left  his  pistols  be 
hind,  and  ordered  the  soldier  to  ride  back  for  them. 
"We  will  proceed  slowly  until  you  again  overtake 
us;  and  you  will  leave  your  carbine  with  which  I 
may  shoot  the  prisoner  if  he  attempts  to  escape," 
added  the  young  officer. 

The  soldier  saluted,  obeyed,  and  disappeared,  where 
upon  Florio  loosed  his  prisoner's  bonds,  handed  him 
the  carbine  just  acquired,  and  with  lighter  hearts  than 
either  of  them  had  known  in  many  days,  the  two  lieu 
tenants  dashed  away  in  a  direction  very  different 
from  the  one  they  were  supposed  to  have  taken. 


CHAPTER  XL 

TEXAS   FREE   AT  LAST 

FOR  a  whole  week  Rex  and  Florio,  leaving  all 
travelled  trails  to  avoid  the  Mexican  armies,  struggled 
through  tangled  canebrakes,  swamp,  and  drowned 
timber  lands,  swam  swollen  rivers,  or  rode  heavily 
over  endless  prairies  sodden  with  ram.  They  were 
generally  bewildered  and  often  lost,  they  had  scanty 
food,  and  less  of  rest,  but  always  they  pushed  steadily 
forward.  After  crossing  the  Brazos  they  rode  toward 
Harrisburg,  the  seat  of  government,  where,  if  any 
where,  they  believed  the  Texans  would  make  a  stand. 

Now  they  met  many  stragglers,  Mexican  soldiers 
wandered  from  their  commands,  and  refugee  settlers. 
Whenever  our  two  lieutenants  encountered  the  former, 
Rex  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  Florio,  but  when 
they  met  with  Americans,  their  position  was  reversed. 
Every  one  whom  they  questioned  told  them  a  differ 
ent  story  ;  but  by  piecing  these  together  they  gained 
a  fair  idea  of  the  situation. 

Santa  Anna,  leaving  the  main  body  of  his  army 
still  crossing  the  Brazos,  with  an  utter  contempt  for 
the  little  force  of  farmers  under  Houston,  had  pushed 
ahead  with  but  eight  hundred  men  and  a  single  piece 

339 


340  WITH   CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

of  artillery,  so  rapidly  as  to  leave  the  Texan  army  in 
his  rear.  His  objective  point  was  Galveston,  and  he 
only  delayed  his  march  to  that  place  long  enough  to 
burn  Harrisburg,  which  had  been  deserted  by  its 
terrified  inhabitants  but  an  hour  before.  Then  he 
continued  down  Buffalo  Bayou  amid  a  network  of 
creeks  and  salt-water  inlets  toward  Galveston  Bay. 

Until  he  reached  the  San  Jacinto  River  he  had  no 
idea  that  he  was  being  hotly  pursued  by  the  enemy 
whom  he  had  passed  and  left  in  his  rear  with  such 
contemptuous  indifference.  On  the  San  Jacinto 
prairie  they  caught  up  with  him,  drove  in  his  rear 
guard  and  shelled  his  camp.  With  this  he  moved  to 
a  timbered  ridge  slightly  elevated  above  the  sur 
rounding  level,  and  began  to  fortify  his  position,  at 
the  same  time  sending  back  for  reinforcements. 

Thus  matters  stood  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  of 
April,  1836.  General  Martin  Cos  had  just  joined 
his  illustrious  brother-in-law  with  seven  hundred 
fresh  troops,  several  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  report 
that  Filisola  would  arrive  the  next  day  with  one 
thousand  more. 

"I  shall  not  need  them,"  remarked  Santa  Anna, 
scornfully.  "  We  are  strong  enough  now  to  sweep 
Mr.  Houston  and  his  horde  of  ragged  rebels  from 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  this  very  day  I  mean  to  do 
so.  But  there  is  no  haste,  my  dear  Martin.  Take 
your  time  to  rest,  and  after  siesta  will  we  set  about 
our  task  of  teaching  the  dogs  their  lesson. " 


TEXAS   FREE   AT  LAST  341 

The  noon  hour  was  long  past  when  two  young 
horsemen  dashed  up  to  the  only  bridge  across  a 
bayou,  bordering  the  San  Jacinto  prairie.  To  their 
amazement,  men  were  cutting  away  its  supports,  and 
they  had  hardly  clattered  across  when  it  fell.  One 
of  the  axemen,  clad  in  buckskin,  sprang  forth  to  bar 
their  passage.  He  was  Deaf  Smith  the  scout. 

"It's  all  right!  "  shouted  the  foremost  rider.  "  I 
am  Rex  Harden.  Where  is  the  Texas  army  ?  " 

"  Hurrah,  lad!  You're  just  in  time  for  the  fight. 
Ride  one  mile  further,  and  you'll  be  with  them!  " 

So  the  two  hastened  on,  and  five  minutes  later  Rex, 
reining  Tawny  to  a  stand  beside  General  Houston, 
saluted  and  reported: 

"  Just  arrived,  general,  but  ready  for  duty." 

«  Why,  lad,  they  told  me  you  were  dead!  Never 
mind.  Thank  God  you  are  alive.  Now  get  a  sword 
and  help  us  strike  the  blow  that  shall  make  Texas 
forever  free.  Come  on!  " 

"  Take  my  sword,"  said  Florio,  hurriedly,  at  the 
same  time  thrusting  the  weapon  into  his  comrade's 
Jiand.  "  I  cannot  draw  it  against  men  of  my  own 
race,  and  so  will  await  you  here.  God  bless  you,  my 
friend,  and  send  you  the  victory." 

Thus  far  Rex  had  seen  no  enemy,  and  was  won 
dering  where  the  battle  was  to  be  fought,  when, 
from  a  clump  of  timber  in  front  of  the  thin  Texas 
line,  there  came  a  roar  of  artillery.  A  moment  later 
the  thrilling  order: 


342  WITH   CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

"Forward  march!  Double-quick,  charge!"  rang 
out,  and  was  repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth  along 
the  line. 

As  they  burst  through  the  fringe  of  timber,  and 
emerged  from  it,  Rex  saw  a  long,  low  breastwork 
and  beyond  it  the  tents  of  a  camp.  A  narrow  strip 
of  prairie  lay  between  him  and  it.  Already  the 
Texans  were  running  across  this,  yelling  like  mad 
men  their  battle-cries : 

"Remember  the  Alamo  !  —  Remember  G-oliad  !  " 

The  startled  Mexicans  fired  one  wild  volley  into 
the  on-rushing  line;  but  they  might  as  well  have 
tried  to  stop  it  with  pea-shooters.  This  was  the 
moment  for  which  the  men  of  Texas  had  waited  for 
months,  —  the  terrible  moment  of  vengeance.  Not  a 
shot  did  they  fire  until  the  breastwork  was  reached. 
Then  a  withering  sheet  of  flame  leaped  from  the 
brown  rifles,  and  swept  with  the  shriek  of  death 
through  the  devoted  camp  that  was  barely  wakened 
from  its  siesta. 

Over  the  breastworks  the  Texans  sprang  like 
famished  tigers.  They  had  no  bayonets,  but  they 
had  pistols  and  bowie  knives,  while,  with  sinewy 
arms,  they  swung  their  clubbed  rifles  like  flails  of 
Heaven's  wrath. 

For  five  minutes  the  struggle  was  fierce,  and  to 
the  death.  Then  the  Mexicans  gave  way  at  every 
point  and  fled  in  utter  panic.  Within  fifteen  min 
utes  from  the  first  cannon  shot,  the  decisive  battle  of 


TEXAS   FREE   AT   LAST  343 

San  Jacinto  had  been  fought  and  won.  Santa  Anna, 
"  the  Napoleon  of  the  West,"  who  had  never  before 
been  defeated  in  battle,  had  been  whipped  at  last 
by  "Mr."  Houston  and  his  seven  hundred  ragged 
rebels.  The  Alamo  and  Goliad  were  avenged. 
Texas  was  free! 

That  evening  a  report  was  handed  to  General 
Houston.  "  Eight  Texans  killed  and  twenty-five 
wounded  ;  630  Mexicans  killed,  208  wounded,  730 
prisoners,  and  not  more  than  a  dozen  escaped." 

Horses  and  mules  with  gorgeous  trappings,  camp 
equipage,  arms  of  every  description,  ammunition  in 
quantity,  and  a  military  chest,  containing  $12,000  in 
gold,  all  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  victorious 
Texans. 

But  one  thing  was  wanting  to  crown  their  victory, 
and  it  was  the  capture  of  Santa  Anna.  Houston 
had  issued  strict  orders  that  he  was  to  be  taken 
alive  if  possible,  and  now  he  was  not  to  be  found. 
Could  he  have  escaped  ?  It  must  not  be  ;  for  only 
the  Mexican  President  could  command  the  four 
thousand  Mexican  troops  still  in  Texas  to  face  about 
and  march  beyond  the  Rio  Grande.  Until  dark  the 
adjacent  country  was  scoured  for  him,  and  with 
earliest  dawn  the  search  was  renewed. 

Rex  Harden  knew  not  what  he  had  done  in  the 
wild  excitement  of  those  terrible  fifteen  minutes  of 
battle,  or  how  he  had  borne  himself.  When  they 
were  over,  he  found  both  himself  and  Tawny  cov- 


344  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

ered  with  blood  that  was  not  their  own,  and  that  he 
was  tightly  clutching  the  hilt  of  a  broken  sword. 
As  soon  as  he  found  that  Santa  Anna  was  missing, 
he  entered  eagerly  into  the  search  for  him,  and  by  his 
side  rode  Florio  Yeramendi,  the  only  man  in  camp 
who  knew  the  Mexican  President  by  sight. 

The  morning  after  the  battle,  as  these  two  and 
three  others  were  riding  at  some  distance  from 
camp,  Rex  spied  a  Mexican  in  the  uniform  of  a  pri 
vate  soldier,  skulking  beside  a  bayou,  and  they  rode 
up  to  him.  At  their  approach,  he  drew  a  blanket 
over  his  head;  but  Florio  had  already  recognized  the 
man  who,  in  all  the  world,  he  most  despised.  "  It 
is  he  !  It  is  Santa  Anna  himself  !  "  he  shouted. 

In  another  minute,  Lieutenant  Rector  Harden  of 
the  Texas  regulars,  riding  Tawny  the  superb,  was 
leading  the  horse  of  Florio,  on  which  was  seated  his 
prisoner,  General  Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa  Anna, 
tyrant  by  trade,  and  President  of  the  Republic  of 
Mexico  by  profession. 

Three  hours  later,  Florio  Veramendi,  Texan,  who 
had  begged  for  the  mission  and  been  backed  in  his 
pleading  by  Lieutenant  Harden,  to  whom  nothing 
could  now  be  refused,  was  galloping  westward  ac 
companied  by  Deaf  Smith,  the  scout.  The  former 
bore  to  General  Filisola,  now  commanding  the  Mexi 
can  forces  in  Texas,  an  order  written  and  signed  by 
Santa  Anna  for  the  immediate  retirement  of  all  his 
troops  beyond  the  Rio  Grande.  With  the  signing 


TEXAS   FREE   AT  LAST  345 

of  that  paper  was  the  freedom  of  Texas  forever 
assured. 

Miles  away  from  the  battle-ground  of  San  Jacinto, 
on  which  myriads  of  red  mallows,  snow-white  Texas 
lilies,  and  the  blue  bells  of  buffalo  clover  were 
stained  with  blood  to  an  all-pervading  crimson, 
was  a  camp  of  refugees.  In  it  were  the  sick  and 
wounded,  men  too  old  to  fight,  and  boys  too  young, 
women  and  children,  cattle  driven  from  many  an 
abandoned  ranch,  and  a  few  wagons  containing  the 
scanty  savings  from  hundreds  of  deserted  homes. 
It  was  a  camp  of  distress  and  suffering,  of  mingled 
hopes  and  fears.  Its  occupants  were  at  the  end  of 
their  strength,  which  had  been  exhausted  by  weeks 
of  terror  and  ceaseless  flight,  and  now  they  must 
await  their  fate,  for  they  could  go  no  further. 

They  knew  that  a  battle  was  about  to  be  fought. 
If  it  should  result  in  defeat,  the  end  of  all  things 
would  have  come,  so  far  as  they  were  concerned. 
If  a  victory  should  be  theirs,  —  and  oh  !  how  they 
prayed  for  one,  —  the  joy  would  be  inconceivable. 

So,  on  that  21st  of  April,  they  waited  with  such 
intent  listening,  that  they  hardly  dared  speak  above 
a  whisper,  for  fear  of  losing  one  of  the  dreaded,  but 
longed-for  sounds.  They  had  heard  a  boom  of  heavy 
guns  the  day  before,  and  were  fevered  with  anxiety, 
until  they  learned  that  it  indicated  but  a  preliminary 
skirmish,  and  that  the  battle  would  be  fought  on  the 
morrow.  Now  the  fateful  morrow  had  come. 


346  WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Squire  Harden,  suffering  such  pain  from  his  old- 
time  wound  as  to  be  nearly  helpless,  was  in  command 
of  the  pitiful  camp,  and  on  that  morning  he  visited 
every  part  of  it,  with  words  of  hopeful  cheer  and 
kindly  wisdom.  But  its  inmates  hardly  heard  him, 
and  made  scant  reply  to  his  courtesy,  for  they  fretted 
at  being  interrupted  in  their  listening. 

From  daylight  they  listened  until  long  past  noon, 
and  the  strain  became  almost  too  intense  to  be  borne; 
but  no  sound  had  come  to  them.  The  afternoon 
was  half  spent  ere  they  heard  the  far-away,  but  un 
mistakable  note  of  a  heavy  gun.  At  the  dread 
sound,  their  pent  feelings  found  relief  in  shouts  and 
shrill  screamings.  But  only  for  a  moment,  and 
again  they  listened  in  breathless  silence. 

For  ten  minutes  the  distant  cannonading  was 
continued;  then  came  a  heavier  volume  of  firing,  a 
confused  murmur,  and  all  was  as  quiet  as  before. 
The  sun  set,  and  they  still  knew  not  what  had  hap 
pened.  All  that  night  they  waited  in  dread  antici 
pation,  but  in  the  morning  the  messengers  came. 
There  were  so  many  of  them,  that,  when  first  seen 
they  were  believed  to  be  the  earliest  fugitives  of  a 
defeated  army,  and  the  refugees  watched  their  ap 
proach  with  despairing  eyes.  Especially  was  their 
intent  gaze  fixed  on  one  who  so  far  outstripped  the 
others,  that  he  seemed  to  have  left  them  at  a  stand 
still,  and  to  be  coming  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 

Squire  Harden  would  have  ridden  to  meet  him, 


TEXAS  FREE  AT  LAST  347 

but  his  wife  begged  him  not  to  leave  them,  while 
Mabel  and  'Lita  Veramendi  clung  to  his  arms.  So 
they  waited  together  until  Mabel,  staring  intently  at 
the  approaching  figures,  exclaimed: 

"  Father,  that  horse  is  Tawny,  for  there  cannot  be 
another  like  him  in  all  Texas." 

"  Nonsense,  daughter  !     It  can't  be." 

"  But  father,  it  is  !  " 

"And  Rex,  our  Rex,  is  riding  him,"  almost 
screamed  Nelita. 

"  Child,  hush  !     Rex  is  dead." 

"  He  is  not  dead  !  He  is  alive,  and  is  coming ! " 
cried  the  girl,  leaping  forward,  with  outstretched 
arms,  as  though  to  greet  the  brave  young  rider. 
Then,  realizing  what  she  was  doing,  she  turned  and 
fled  to  the  shelter  of  the  wagon,  there  to  hide  her 
confusion  and  her  unspeakable  joy. 

Now  the  speeding  horseman  waves  his  hat  madly, 
and  utters  the  ringing  Texas  yell,  —  a  fierce  cry  of 
jubilation  and  victory.  With  that  one  sound  the 
whole  story  was  told,  and  in  an  instant  the  breathless 
camp  was  shouting,  cheering,  laughing,  sobbing,  and 
praising  God. 

A  few  seconds  later,  Rex  Harden  had  leaped  from 
Tawny's  back,  and,  with  the  hot  tears,  that  alone 
can  give  adequate  expression  to  overwhelming  joy, 
streaming  down  his  sun-tanned  cheeks,  had  clasped 
his  trembling  mother  in  his  strong  young  arms. 


Charles  Scribner's  Sons 

New  and  Standard  Books  for 
Young  Readers  for  1897=98 . . . 


MRS.   BURNETT'S 
FAMOUS  JUVENILES 

An  entirely  new  edition  of  Mrs.  Burnett's  famous 
juveniles  from  new  plates,  with  all  the  original 
illustrations.  Bound  in  a  beautiful  new  cloth  bind 
ing  designed  by  R.  B.  Birch,  and  sold  at  very  much 
reduced  prices. 

LITTLE  LORD  FAUNTLEROY 

TWO  LITTLE  PILGRIMS'  PROGRESS 

SARA    CREWE    and    LITTLE    SAINT    ELIZABETH    AND 

OTHER  STORIES  (in  one  vol.) 
PICCINO  AND  OTHER  CHILD  STORIES 
GIOVANNI  AND  THE  OTHER 

Five  Volumes,  12 mo,  each,  $1.25 

The  original  editions  can  sttll  be  supplied  at  the  former  prices : 

LITTLE  LORD  FAUNTLEROY.     Beautifully  illustrated  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH. 

Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

TWO  LITTLE  PILGRIMS'  PROGRESS.  A  STORY  OK  THE  CITY  BEAUTIFUL. 
By  Mrs.  FRANCES  HODGSON  BURNETT.  Illustrated  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH. 
Uniform  with  "  Fauntleroy,"  etc.  Square  8vo,  §1.50. 

SARA  CREWE ;  OR,  WHAT  HAPPENED  AT  Miss  MINCHIN'S.  Richly  and  fully 
illustrated  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH.  Square  8vo,  $1.00. 

LITTLE  SAINT  ELIZABETH,  AND  OTHER  STORIES.  With  12  full-page  draw 
ings  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH.  Square  8vo,  $1.50. 

GIOVANNI  AND  THE  OTHER:  CHILDREN  WHO  HAVE  MADE  STORIES.  With 
9  full-page  illustrations  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH.  Square  8vo,  $1.50. 

PICCINO,  AND  OTHER  CHILD  STORIES.  Fully  illustrated  by  REGINALD  B.  BIRCH. 
Square  8vo,  $i.5<x 


SCRIBNE^S  <BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 

Q,  A.  HENTY'S   POPULAR  STORIES 
FOR   BOYS 

New  Volumes  for  1897-98.    Each,  crown  8vo,  handsomely  illustrated,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Henty,  the  most  popular  writer  of  Books  of  Ad 
venture  in  England,  adds  three  new  volumes  to  his 
list  this  fall— books  that  will  delight  thousands  of 
boys  on  this  side  who  have  become  his  ardent  admirers 


WITH  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT.  A  TALE  OF  THE  SEVEN  YEARS' WAR.  With 
12  full-page  illustrations,  ismo,  $1.50. 

This  story,  more  than  any  other  of  Mr.  Henty's,  follows  closely  the  historic  lines, 
and  no  better  description  of  the  memorable  battles  of  Rossbach,  Leuthen,  Prague, 
Zorndqrf,  Hochkirch,  and  Torgau  can  be  found  anywhere  than  is  given  in  this 
volume.  Through  the  historic  part  there  runs  the  record  of  the  daring  and 
hazardous  adventures  of  the  hero,  so  that  the  charm  of  romance  is  given  to  the 
whole  narrative.  It  is  one  of  the  most  important  volumes  Mr.  Henty  has  written. 


A  MARCH  ON  LONDON.  A  STORY  OF  WAT  TYLER'S  RISING.  With  8  full-page 
illustrations  by  W.  H.  MARGETSON.  i2mo,  $1.50. 

This  book  weaves  together,  in  a  most  interesting  way,  the  story  of  Wat  Tyler's 
rebellion  under  King  Richard,  the  civil  war  in  Flanders  which  occurred  soon 
after,  and  the  ill-planned  attack  upon  the  French  led  by  the  Bishop  of  Norfolk. 
The  whole  story  is  singularly  interesting,  covering  as  it  does  a  period  of  history 
which  is  but  little  known  and  which  is  well  worth  narrating. 


WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA.  A  STORY  OF  THE  PENINSULAR  WAR.  With  12 
full-page  illustrations  by  WAL.  PAGET.  i2ino,  $1.50. 

A  bright  Irish  lad,  Terence  O'Connor,  is  living  with  his  widowed  father,  Captain 
O'Connor  of  the  Mayo  Fusiliers,  with  the  regiment,  at  the  time  when  the  Penin 
sular  War  against  Napoleon  began.  Under  the  command  of  Sir  John  Moore,  he 
shared  in  the  same  marching  and  sharp  fighting  which  that  expedition  experi 
enced  up  to  the  battle  of  Corunna.  By  his  bravery  and  great  usefulness,  in  spite 
of  his  youth,  he  received  a  commission  as  colonel  in  the  Portuguese  army,  and 
during  the  remainder  of  the  war  rendered  great  services,  being  mentioned  twice 
in  the  general  orders  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  The  whole  story  is  full  of  ex 
citing  military  experiences  and  gives  a  most  careful  and  accurate  account  of  the 
conduct  of  the  campaigns. 


of  stories 


SCRIBNEI^S  <BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 


MR.  HENTY'S  OTHER  BOOKS 

Each  volume  with  numerous  illustrations ;  handsomely  bound.  Olivtne  edges. 
I2mo.  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Henty's  books  never  fail  to  interest  boy  readers.     Among  writers 
of  adventure  he  stands  in  the  very  first  rank." — Academy,  London. 

11  No  country  nor  epoch  of  history  is  there  which  Mr.  Henty  does  not  know,  and 
what  is  really  remarkable  is  that  he  always  writes  well  and  interestingly.     Boys 
like  stirring  adventures,  and  Mr.  Henty  is  a  master  of  this  method  of  composi 
tion." — New  York  Tunes. 

AT  AGINCOURT.  A  TALE  OF  THE  WHITE  HOODS  OF  PARIS.  With  12  full-page 
illustrations  by  WAL.  PAGET. 

COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS.  A  TALE  OF  THE  EXPLOITS  OF  LORD  COCH- 
RANK  IN  SOUTH  AMERICAN  WATERS.  With  12  full-page  illustrations  by  W.  H. 
MARGETSON. 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY.  A  STORY  OF  THE  FIRST  BURMESE  WAR.  With  8  full- 
page  illustrations  by  W.  H.  OVEREND. 

THROUGH  RUSSIAN  SNOWS.  A  STORY  OF  NAPOLEON'S  RETREAT  FROM 
Moscow.  With  8  full-page  illustrations  by  W.  H.  OVEREND. 

A  KNIGHT  OF  THE  WHITE  CROSS.  A  TALE  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF  RHODES. 
With  12  full-page  illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK. 

THE  TIGER  OF  MYSORE.    A  STORY  OF  THE  WAR  WITH  TIPPOO  SAID.    With 

12  full-page  illustrations  by  W.  H.  MARGETSON. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES.    A  STORY  OF  ADVENTURE  IN  COLORADO. 

WHEN  LONDON  BURNED.  A  STORY  OF  RESTORATION  TIMES  AND  THE  GREAT 
FIRE. 

WULF  THE  SAXON.    A  STORY  OF  THE  NORMAN  CONQUEST. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S  EVE.    A  TALE  OF  THE  HUGUENOT  WARS. 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR.    A  TALE  OF  THE  CONQUEST  OF  THE  PUNJAUB. 

A  JACOBITE  EXILE.  BEING  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  A  YOUNG  ENGLISHMAN  IN 
THE  SERVICE  OF  CHARLES  XII.  OF  SWEDEN. 

CONDEMNED  AS  A  NIHILIST.    A  STORY  OF  ESCAPE  FROM  SIBERIA. 
BERIC  THE  BRJTON.    A  STORY  OF  THE  ROMAN  INVASION. 

IN  GREEK  WATERS.    A  STORY  OF  THE  GRECIAN  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE 

[1821-1827]. 

THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM.    A  TALE  OF  THE  NILE  EXPEDITION. 
REDSKIN  AND  COWBOY.    A  TALE  OF  THE  WESTERN  PLAINS. 
HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND.    A  TALE  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF  GIBRALTAR. 


SCRIBNE^S  KOOK  FOR    THE   YOUNG 


SOME   OF   THE   NEWEST  BOOKS 


WILL  SHAKESPEARE'S  LITTLE  LAD.  By  IMOGEN  CLARK.  With  illustra- 
tions  and  cover  design  by  R.  B.  Birch.  i2mo,  $1.50. 

A  story,  full  of  warm  color  and  brisk  movement,  of  Stratford  life  in  Shakespeare's 
day,  the  local  atmosphere  being  reflected  with  rare  fidelity,  and  the  hero,  the 
poet's  son,  being  drawn  with  sympathy  and  charm. 


CHILD  POEMS.  By  EUGENE  FIELD.  With  an  introduction  by  KENNETH 
GRAHAME  and  profusely  illustrated  by  CHARLES  ROBINSON.  Uniform  with  Robert 
Louis  Stevenson's  "Child's  Garden  of  Verses,"  also  illustrated  by  Charles  Robin 
son,  izmo,  $1.50. 


THE  STEVENSON  SONG  BOOK.  VERSES  FROM  "  A  CHILD'S  GARDEN,"  by 
ROBERT  Louis  STEVENSON.  With  music  by  various  composers.  A  companion 
volume  to  the  Field-DeKoven  song  book  printed  last  year.  Large  8vo,  $2.00. 


AN  OLD-FIELD  SCHOOL  GIRL.      By  MARION  HARLAND.     With  8  full-page 
illustrations,    izmo,  $1.25. 


LORDS  OF  THE  WORLD.    By  ALFRED  J.  CHURCH.    A  STORY  OF  THE  FALL  OF 

CARTHAGE  AND  CORINTH.     With  12  full-page  illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK. 

I2mo,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  centres  in  the  overthrow  and  destruction  of  Carthage  by 

the  Romans.  The  story  is  full  of  valuable  historical  details  and  the  interest  never 

flags. 


HEROES  OF  OUR  NAVY.     By  MOLLY  ELLIOT  SEAWELL.     Illustrated,     zarno. 

In  press. 

Never  has  this  entertaining  writer   been  more   felicitous  than  in  the  present 

volume. 

THE  LAST  CRUISE  OF  THE  MOHAWK.  By  W.  J.  HENDERSON.  Illustrated 
by  HARRY  EDWARDS.  lamo,  $1.25. 

The  book  is  crowded  with  dramatic  incident  — mutiny,  shipwreck,  Farragut's 
great  fight  in  Mobile  Bay— and  the  narrative  is  as  simple  as  the  events  and 
characters  are  entertaining. 


SCR/BNE^S  'BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 

KIRK  MUNROE'S  STIRRING  TALES 
THE    WHITE    CONQUEROR    SERIES 

WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE  AT  WAR  WITH  PONTIAC 

THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS  THROUGH  SWAMP  AND  GLAD 

Each,  illustrated,  I2mo,  $1.25.    The  complete  set,  4  vols.,  in  a  box,  $5.00. 
JUST 


WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE  ;  OR,  FIGHTING  FOR  THE  LONE  STAR  FLAI 
A  TALE  OF  TEXAS.  With  8  full-page  illustrations  by  VICTOR  PERARD. 

The  story  is  of  the  Texas  revolution  in  1835,  when  American  Texans  under  Sa 
Houston,  Bowie,  Crockett,  and  Travis,  fought  for  relief  from  the  intolerab 
tyranny  of  the  Mexican  Santa  Ana.  The  hero,  Rex  Hardin,  son  of  a  Texas  rancl 
man,  and  graduate  of  an  American  military  school,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  tl 
heroic  defense  of  the  Alamo,  the  terrible  scenes  at  Golead,  and  the  final  triump 
at  San  Jacinto.  The  historical  side  of  the  story  has  been  carefully  studied  and  i 
localities  rendered  familiar  by  a  special  trip  to  Texas  undertaken  by  the  authc 
for  that  purpose  within  a  year. 


PREVIOUS 

THROUGH  SWAMP  AND  GLADE.  A  TALE  OF  THE  SEMINOLE  WAR.  With 
full-page  illustrations  by  VICTOR  PERARD.  i2mo,  11.25. 

In  this  new  story  Mr.  Munroe  opens  to  view  an  exceedingly  interesting  period  < 
American  history  —  the  period  of  the  Seminole  War  in  Florida.  Coacoochee,  th 
hero  of  the  story,  is  a  young  Indian  of  noble  birth,  the  son  of  Philip,  the  chieftai 
of  the  Seminoles.  He  is  a  boy  at  the  time  of  the  beginning  of  the  Seminol 
troubles  and  grows  up  to  lead  his  tribe  in  the  long  struggle  which  resulted  in  th 
Indians  being  driven  from  the  north  of  Florida  down  to  the  distant  souther 
wilderness.  It  is  full  of  strange  adventure,  of  stirring  incident  and  rapid  actior 
and  it  is  a  true  and  faithful  picture  of  a  period  of  history  little  known  to  youn 
readers. 

AT  WAR  WITH  PONTIAC  ;  OR,  THE  TOTEM  OF  THE  BEAR.  A  TALE  OF  REI 
COAT  AND  REDSKIN.  With  8  full-page  illustrations  by  J.  FINNEMORE.  i2mo,  $1.2; 

A  story  of  old  days  in  America  when  Detroit  was  a  frontier  town  and  th 
shores  of  Lake  Erie  were  held  by  hostile  Indians  under  Pontiac.  The  here 
Donald  Hester,  goes  in  search  of  his  sister  Edith,  who  has  been  captured  by  th 
Indians.  Strange  and  terrible  are  his  experiences;  for  he  is  wounded,  take 
prisoner,  condemned  to  be  burned,  and  contrives  to  escape.  In  the  end  there  i 
peace  between  Pontiac  and  the  English,  and  all  things  terminate  happily  for  th 
hero.  One  dares  not  skip  a  page  of  this  enthralling  story, 

THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS.  A  TALE  OF  TOLTEC  AND  AZTEC.  With  8  full 
page  illustrations  by  W.  S.  STAGEY.  i2mo,  $1.25. 

This  story  deals  with  the  Conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortes  and  his  Spaniards,  th 
"  White  Conquerors,"  who,  after  many  deeds  of  valor,  pushed  their  way  into  th 
great  Aztec  kingdom  and  established  their  power  in  the  wondrous  city  wheri 
Montezuma  reigned  in  barbaric  splendor. 


SCR/BNE^S  <BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 


BOOKS    BY    WILLIAM    HENRY    FROST 


THE  KNIGHTS  OF  THE  ROUND  TABLE.  Illustrated  and  cover  designed  by 
5.  R.  BURLEIGH.  i2mo,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Frost's  volumes  of  folk-lore  stories  have  achieved  a  deserved  popularity,  and 
this  last  one,  dealing  with  the  ever-fascinating  theme  of  the  Round  Table  and  its 
knights,  is  equal  to  either  of  his  earlier  books. 

MR.  FROST'S  FORMER  BOOKS 

THE  COURT  OF  KING  ARTHUR.  STORIES  FROM  THE  LAND  OF  THE  ROUND 
TABLE.  Illustrated  by  S.  R.  BURLEIGH.  i2mo,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Frost  has  had  the  happy  idea  of  making  a  journey  to  the  different  places  con 
nected  with  the  Arthurian  romances  by  history  or  legend,  and  of  relating  the  ever 
new  Round  Table  Tales  on  their  sites,  to  the  same  little  girl,  now  somewhat  older, 
to  whom  he  told  his  charming  Wagner  stories. 

THE  WACiNER  STORY  BOOK.  FIRELIGHT  TALES  OF  THE  GREAT  Music 
DRAMAS.  Illustrated  by  SIDNEY  R.  BURLEIGH.  izmo,  $1.50. 

"A  successful  attempt  to  make  the  romantic  themes  of  the  music  drama  intelligi 
ble  to  young  readers.  The  author  has  full  command  of  his  subject,  and  the  style 
Is  easy,  graceful,  and  simple." — Boston  Beacon. 


ROBERT  GRANT'S  TWO  BOOKS  FOR  BOYS 

JACK  HALL;  OR,  THE  SCHOOL  DAYS  OF  AN  AMERICAN  BOY.  Illustrated  by  F. 
G.  ATTWOOD.  ismo,  $1.25. 

"  A  better  book  for  boys  has  never  been  written.  It  is  pure,  clean,  and  healthy, 
and  has  throughout  a  vigorous  action  that  holds  the  reader  breathlessly." 

—Boston  Herald. 

JACK  IN  THE  BUSH ;  OR,  A  SUMMER  ON  A  SALMON  RIVER.  Illustrated  by  F.  T. 
MERRILL.  i2mo,  $1.25. 

"  A  clever  book  for  boys.  It  is  the  story  of  the  camp  life  of  a  lot  of  boys,  and  is 
destined  to  please  every  boy  reader.  It  is  attractively  illustrated." 

—Detroit  Free  Press. 

THE  RANTER  GIRLS 

By  MARY  L.  B.  BRANCH.  Illustrated  by  HELEN  M.  ARMSTRONG.  Square  12010, 
PI. 50. 

The  adventures  of  Jane  and  Prue,  two  small  sisters,  among  different  peoples  of 
the  imaginative  world — dryads,  snow-children,  Kobolds,  etc. — aided  by  their 
invisible  rings,  their  magic  boat,  and  their  wonderful  birds,  are  described  by  the 
author  with  great  naturalness  and  a  true  gift  for  story-telling.  The  numerous 
illustrations  are  very  attractive,  and  in  thorough  sympathy  with  the  text. 


SCRIBNE^S  *BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 


SAMUEL    ADAMS    DRAKE'S    HISTORICAL   BOOK 

JUST  ISSUED 
THE  BORDER  WARS  OF  NEW  ENGLAND 

COMMONLY  CALLED  KING  WILLIAM'S  AND  QUEEN  ANNE'S  WARS.  By  SAMU: 
ADAMS  DRAKE.  With  58  illustrations  and  maps.  i2mo,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Drake  has  made  a  consecutive,  entertaining  narrative  of  the  border  vva 
which  the  French  and  Indians  waged  against  the  English  settlers  in  New  Er 
land  during  the  reigns  of  King  William  and  Queen  Anne.  The  story  is  full 
adventurous  interest  and  is  told  with  that  minute  attention  to  suggestive  and  ; 
structive  details  which  have  been  the  distinguishing  feature  of  Mr.  Drake's  otb 
books.  The  illustrations,  many  of  them  from  photographs  of  historic  spots  and 
buildings  still  standing,  are  of  exceptional  interest. 

FORMER  VOLUMES 

THE  MAKING  OF  THE  OHIO  VALLEY  STATES.  1660-1837.  Illustrate 
I2mo,  $1.50. 

THE  MAKING  OP  VIRGINIA  AND  THE  MIDDLE  COLONIES.     1578-1701. 
lustrated.     izmo,  $1.50. 

THE  MAKING  OP  NEW  ENGLAND.  1580-1643.  With  148  illustrations  ai 
with  maps.  I2mo,  $1.50. 

THE  MAKING  OF  THE  GREAT  WEST.  1812-1853.  With  145  illustrations  ai 
with  maps.  i2ino,  $1.50. 

STORIES  OF    LITERATURE,   SCIENCE,  AND   HU 
TORY  BY  HENRIETTA  CHRISTIAN  WRIGHT 

A  NEW  VOLUME  JUST  ISSUED 

CHILDREN'S    STORIES    IN   AMERICAN    L!TERATURE.-i86o-i896.     larr 

$1.25. 

Miss  Wright  here  continues  the  attractive  presentation  of  literary  history  begi 
in  her  "  Children's  Stories  in  English  Literature,"  taking  up  the  literary  figur 
that  have  appeared  since  the  time  of  the  civil  war,  and  treating  their  works  ai 
personalities  in  a  simple  manner,  interesting  to  young  readers. 

CHILDREN'S  STORIES  IN  AMERICAN  LITERATURE.-i66o-i86o.  i2rr 
$1.25. 

CHILDREN'S  STORIES  IN  ENGLISH  LITERATURE.  Two  volumes :  TALI 
SIN  TO  SHAKESPEARE— SHAKESPEARE  TO  TENNYSON.  i2mo,  each,  $1.25. 

CHILDREN'S  STORIES  OP  THE  GREAT  SCIENTISTS.  WTith  portrai 
I2mo,  $1.25. 

CHILDREN'S  STORIES  IN  AMERICAN  HISTORY.    Illustrated.    i2mo,  $1.2; 

CHILDREN'S  STORIES  OF  AMERICAN  PROGRESS.  Illustrated.  i2ir 
$1.25. 


SCRIBNE^S  "BOOKS  FOR    THE    YOUNG 


THREE   BOOKS   OF   SPORTS   AND   GAMES 

THE  AMERICAN  BOY'S  BOOK  OF  SPORT.  OUT-DOOR  GAMES  FOR  ALL  SEA- 
SONS.  By  DANIEL  C.  BEARD.  With  over  300  illustrations  by  the  author.  8vo, 
$2.50. 

This  is  an  entirely  new  book  by  Mr.  Beard,  containing  altogether  new  matter  of 
great  interest  to  all  young  lovers  of  sport.  It  is  a  companion  volume  to  the  author's 
well-known  "  American  Boy's  Handy  Book,"  of  which  over  twenty-five  thousand 
copies  have  been  sold,  and  will  undoubtedly  rival  that  famous  work  in  popularity 
as  it  does  in  interest. 

THE  AMERICAN  BOY'S  HANDY  BOOK ;  OR,  WHAT  TO  Do  AND  How  TO  Do 

IT.     By  DANIEL  C.  BKARD.     With  360  illustrations  by  the  author.      Square  Svo, 

$2.00. 

"  The  book  has  this  great  advantage  over  its  predecessors,  that  most  of  the  games. 

tricks,  and  other  amusements  described  in  it  are  new.     It  treats  of  sports  adapted 

to  all  seasons  of  the  year  ;  it  is  practical,  and  it  is  well  illustrated." 

— New  York  Tribune. 

THE  AMERICAN  GIRL'S  HANDY  BOOK.    By  LENA  and  ADELIA  B.  BEARD. 
With  over  500  illustrations  by  the  authors.    Square  Svo,  $2.00. 
"  I  have  put  it  in  my  list  of  good  and  useful  books  for  young  people,  as  I  have 
many  requests  for  advice  from  my  little  friends  and  their  anxious  mothers.     I  am 
most  happy  to  commend  your  very  ingenious  and  entertaining  book." 

—LOUISA  M.  ALCOTT. 

THOMAS   NELSON    PAGE'S   TWO   BOOKS 

AMONG  THE  CAMPS;  OR,  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  STORIES  OF  THE  WAR.  With  8 
full-page  illustrations.  Square  8vo,  $1.50. 

"They  are  five  in  number,  each  having  reference  to  some  incident  of  the  Civil 
War.  A  vein  of  mingled  pathos  and  humor  runs  through  them  all,  and  greatly 
heightens  the  charm  of  them.  It  is  the  early  experience  of  the  author  himself, 
doubtless,  which  makes  his  pictures  of  life  in  a  Southern  home  during  the  great 
struggle  so  vivid  and  truthful." — The  Nation. 

TWO  LITTLE  CONFEDERATES.  With  8  full-page  illustrations  by  KEMBLE 
and  RKDWOOD.  Square  Svo,  $1.50. 

"Mr.  Page  was  'raised'  in  Virginia,  and  he  knows  the  'darkey'  of  the  South 
better  than  any  one  who  writes  about  them.  And  he  knows  '  white  folks,'  too,  and 
his  stories,  whether  for  old  or  young  people,  have  the  charm  of  sincerity  and 
beauty  and  reality." — Harper's  Young  People. 

EDWARD    EGGLESTON'S   TWO    POPULAR    BOOKS 

THE  HOOSIER  SCHOOL-BOY.     Illustrated.     121110,  $1.00. 

11  The  Hoosier  School-Boy  '  depicts  some  of  the  characteristics  of  boy-life  years 
ago  on  the  Ohio  ;  characteristics,  however,  that  were  not  peculiar  to  that  section. 
The  story  presents  a  vivid  and  interesting  picture  of  the  difficulties  which  in  those 
days  beset  the  path  of  the  youth  aspiring  for  an  education." 

— Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

QUEER  STORIES  FOR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS.    i2mo,  $1.00. 

"  A  very  bright  and  attractive  little  volume  for  young  readers.  The  stories  are 
fresh,  breezy,  and  healthy,  with  a  good  point  to  them  and  a  good,  sound  American 
view  of  life  and  the  road  to  success.  The  book  abounds  in  good  feeling  and  good 
Sense,  and  is  written  in  a  style  of  homely  art." — Independent. 


SCRIBNFRS  "BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 


BOOKS   BY    HOWARD   PYLE 

BEHIND  THE  GARDEN  OF  THE  MOON.  A  REAL  STORY  OF  THE  MOON 
ANGEL.  Written  and  illustrated  by  HOWARD  PYLE.  Square  i2mo,  $2.00. 
Out  of  the  truth  that  great  deeds  are  achieved  and  high  character  moulded  by 
entire  spiritual  consecration,  rather  than  by  direct  and  interested  effort,  the 
author  has  evolved  a  winning  and  delightful  piece  of  fanciful  fiction,  and  has  il 
lustrated  it  copiously  in  his  happiest  and  most  characteristically  poetical  vein. 

THE  MERRY  ADVENTURES  OP  ROBIN  HOOD  OF  GREAT  RENOWN  IN  NOT- 
TINGHAMSHIRE.  With  many  illustrations.  Royal  8vo,  $3.00. 

"  This  superb  book  is  unquestionably  the  most  original  and  elaborate  ever  pro 
duced  by  any  American  artist.  Mr.  Pyle  has  told,  with  pencil  and  pen,  the  com 
plete  and  consecutive  story  of  Robin  Hood  and  his  merry  men  in  their  haunts  in 
Sherwood  Forest,  gathered  from  the  old  ballads  and  legends.  Mr.  Pyle's  admira 
ble  illustrations  are  strewn  profusely  through  the  book."— Boston  Transcript. 

OTTO  OF  THE  SILVER  HAND.     With  many  illustrations.     Royal  8vo,  half 

leather,  $2.00. 

"  The  scene  of  the  story  is  mediaeval  Germany  in  the  time  of  the  feuds  and  robber 

barons  and  romance.    The  kidnapping  of  Otto,  his  adventures  among  rough 

soldiers,  and  his  daring  rescue,  make  up  a  spirited  and  thrilling  story."— Christian 

Union, 

THE  BUTTERFLY   HUNTERS   IN  THE   CARIBBEES 

By  Dr.  EUGENE  MURRAY-AARON.    With  8  full-page  illustrations.    Square  izmo, 

$2.00. 

"Our  author  only  reproduces  the  incidents  and  scenes  of  his  own  life,  as  an 

exploring  naturalist,  in  a  way  to  capture  the  attention  of  younger  readers." 

'  Chicago  Inter- Ocean. 

JUST  PUBLISHED 

THE  KING  OF  THE   BRONCOS 

AND  OTHER  TALES  OF  NEW  MEXICO.  By  CHARLES  F.  LUMMIS.  Illustrated  by 
VICTOR  PERARD.  izmo,  $1.25. 

A  charming  collection  of  stories  of  life  and  adventure  in  the  Southwest.  The  last 
story,  "  My  Friend  Will,"  is  a  masterpiece,  with  a  brainy  moral  for  adult  as  well 
as  juvenile  readers. 

A   NEW   MEXICO  DAVID 

AND  OTHER  STORIKS  AND  SKETCHES  OF  THE  SOUTH-WEST.  By  CHARLES  F. 
LUMMIS.  Illustrated.  121110,  $1.25. 

"  Mr.  Lummis  has  lived  for  years  in  the  land  of  the  Pueblos  ;  has  traversed  it  in 
every  direction,  both  on  foot  and  on  horseback  ;  and  it  is  an  enthralling  treat  set 
before  youthful  readers  by  him  in  this  series  of  lively  chronicles."— Boston  Beacon. 

STORIES   FOR   BOYS 

By  RICHARD  HARDING  DAVIS.    With  6  full-page  illustrations.    121110,  $1.00. 
"  It  will  be  astonishing  indeed  if  youths  of  all  ages  are  not  fascinated  with  these 
'Stories  for  Boys.'      Mr.  Davis   knows   infallibly  what  will   interest   his  young 
readers." — Boston  Beacon. 


SCRIBNE^S  <BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG 


HEROES  OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME 

By  JAMES  BALDWIN.  Three  volumes,  I2mo,  each  beautifully  illustrated.  Singly, 
$1.50 ;  the  set,  $4.00. 

A  STORY  OP  THE  GOLDEN  AGE.    Illustrated  by  HOWARD  PVLE. 
"  Mr.  Baldwin's  book  is  redolent  with  the  spirit  of  the  Odyssey,  that  glorious 
primitive  epic,  fresh  with  the  dew  of  the  morning  of  time.     It  is  an  unalloyed 
pleasure  to  read  his  recital  of  the  adventures  of  the  wiley  Odysseus.    Howard 
Pyle's  illustrations  render  the  spirit  of  the  Homeric  age  with  admirable  felicity." 

—Prof.  H.  H.  BOYESEN. 

THE  STORY  OF  SIEGFRIED.    Illustrated  by  HOWARD  PYLE. 
THE  STORY  OF  ROLAND.    Illustrated  by  R.  B.  BIRCH. 

THE  BOY'S  LIBRARY  OF  LEGEND  AND  CHIVALRY 

Edited  by  SIDNEY  LANIER,  and  richly  illustrated  by  FREDERICKS,  BENSELL,  and 
KAPPES.  Four  volumes,  cloth,  uniform  binding,  price  per  set,  $7.00.  Sold  sepa 
rately,  price  per  volume,  $2.00. 

Mr.  Lanier's  books  present  to  boy  readers  the  old  English  classics  of  history 
and  legend  in  attractive  form.  VVhile  they  are  stories  of 'action  and  stirring  inci 
dent,  they  teach  those  lessons  which  manly,  honest  boys  ought  to  learn. 

THE  BOY'S  KZNG  ARTHUR  THE  BOY'S  PERCY 

THE  BOY'S  FROISSART  THE  KNIGHTLY  LEGENDS  OF  WALES 


FRANK  R.  STOCKTON'S  BOOKS  FOR  THE   YOUNG 

"  His  books  for  boys  and  girls  are  classics." — Newark  Advertiser. 

THE  CLOCKS  OF  RONDAINE,  AND  OTHER  STORIES.  With  24  illustrations 
by  BLASHFIELD,  ROGERS,  BEARD,  and  others.  Square  8vo,  $1.50. 

PERSONALLY  CONDUCTED.    Illustrated  by  PENNELL,  PARSONS,  and  others. 

Square  Svo,  $2.00. 

THE  STORY  OF  VITEAU.     Illustrated  by  R.  B.  BIRCH.    i2mo,  $1.50. 
A  JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP.     With  20  illustrations.     121110,  $1.50. 

THE  FLOATING  PRINCE  AND  OTHER  FAIRY  TALES.  Illustrated.  Square 
Svo,  $1.50. 

THE  TINQ-A-LINQ  TALES.     Illustrated,     izmo,  $1.00. 

ROUNDABOUT  RAMBLES  IN  LANDS  OF  FACT  AND  FICTION.  Illus 
trated.  Square  Svo,  $1.50. 

TALES  OUT  OF  SCHOOL.  With  nearly  200  illustrations.  Square  Svo,  $1.50. 
"  The  volumes  are  profusely  illustrated  and  contain  the  most  entertaining 
sketches  in  Mr.  Stockton's  most  entertaining  manner." — Christian  Union. 

THINGS  WILL  TAKE   A  TURN 

By  BEATRICE  HARRADEN,  author  of  "  Ships  That  Passim  the  Night."  Illustrated. 
I2mo,  $1.00. 

One  cannot  help  being  fascinated  by  the  sweet  little  heroine  of  this  tale,  she  is  so 
engaging,  so  natural ;  and  to  love  Rosebud  is  to  love  all  her  friends  and  enter 
sympathetically  into  the  good  fortune  she  brought  them. 


HOME  USE 

CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 
MAIN  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 
1 -month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling  642-3405. 
6-month  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 

to  Circulation  Desk. 
Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  days  prior 

to  due  date. 

ALL  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  RECALL  7  DAYS 
AFTER  DATE  CHECKED  OUT. 


tf-* 


™.  cm. 


LD21 — A-40m-i2,'74  General  Library 

(S2700L)  University  of  California 

Berkeley 


LIBRARY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  BEFORE  CLOSING  TIME 
ON  LAST  DATE  STAMPED  BELOW 


LIBRARY  USE 

MAR    2  1968 

RE 

} 

MAD     2'fi8-3i 

>*1 

rtnn       *»  OO     O  ' 

LD  62A-50m-7,'65 
(F5756slO)9412A 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


